Voters across the North West go to the polls this Thursday, 23 May, to elect the region’s eight Members of the European Parliament (MEPs.)

Thousands of polling stations will be open in Cheshire, Cumbria, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Merseyside from 7am to 10pm on the day.

People who have received their postal vote are being encouraged to complete and return it as soon as possible. Anyone who leaves it too late to post can still drop it off at any polling station in the local authority area where they are registered between 7am and 10pm on Thursday 23 May.

MEPs represent the whole of the North West region and so everybody who is eligible to vote in the region will be voting from the same list of parties and individual candidates.

The European Parliamentary Elections are conducted using a form of proportional representation. Each elector has ONE vote, which can be cast for a political party or an individual candidate. The allocation of the eight MEP positions will depend on the overall share of the vote that a party or individual candidate receives across the region.

Counts will take place across the North West on Sunday 26 May, with the overall regional result being declared in Manchester on the night.

Joanne Roney OBE, Regional Returning Officer for the European Elections in the North West, said: “There are more than five million eligible electors across the North West in 39 different local authority areas. Some have already voted by post. We don’t want anyone who wants to vote to miss out and are keen to ensure that those who are voting in person are aware of polling day arrangements.

“Your poll card will show which polling station you need to vote at, or you can check your local authority website. You will only be able to vote in person at this polling station. But you don’t need to have your poll card with you to be able to vote.”