Overview
- With four weeks to go, election officials urge voters to register by 11.59pm Monday 20 April and to secure photo ID or a free Voter Authority Certificate by Tuesday 28 April.
- Postal voting now requires a fresh application every three years, and in Swindon about 13,000 people were removed from the postal list and must reapply by 5pm Tuesday 21 April.
- The contest will decide roughly 5,013 seats across six county councils, all 32 London boroughs, 32 metropolitan boroughs, 18 unitary authorities and 48 district councils.
- Polling stations open 7am to 10pm on Thursday 7 May, with most councils counting and declaring on Friday 8 May and a few finishing on Saturday 9 May.
- Labour is defending 2,557 of the 5,013 seats, the Conservatives 1,362 and the Liberal Democrats 684, setting expectations for how gains by smaller parties may be read.