There’s less than a week to go until you can vote early ahead of the city council elections on 7 May. 

On Thursday 30 April, Friday 1 May and Saturday 2 May, from 9am-6pm, any registered Cambridge voter can vote at any of these three early voting hubs: 

• The Guildhall (Peas Hill entrance, Market Square, Cambridge CB2 3QJ) in the city centre 
• Meadows Community Centre (299 Arbury Road, CB4 2JL) in the north of the city
• Clay Farm Centre (Hobson Square, Trumpington CB2 9FN) in the south of the city.  

Cambridge is one of only four local authorities trialling more flexible ways of voting in person at this year’s local elections. It’s part of a new Government-backed initiative to encourage greater participation in local democracy by making voting more convenient.  

The early voting hubs will use the latest approved digital technology so that no one is able to vote more than once. All eligible voters in Cambridge can also vote in the usual way at their normal polling station on polling day, Thursday 7 May. 

You must bring an accepted form of photo ID to vote at one of the three early voting hubs on 30 April, 1 May or 2 May – just as you would on polling day. Accepted forms of ID include:

• Passport
• Driving licence
• Blue Badge
• PASS proof‑of‑age card
• Biometric immigration document
• Defence Identity Card
• Voter Authority Certificate (free voter ID) 

If your ID is out of date, you can still use it, but the photo must be a good likeness of you. Check our voter ID page to see the full list of accepted identification.  

The process for early voting will be the same as it is for voting at a polling station on 7 May. The only difference will be that polling staff will use electronic electoral registers, rather than the paper registers. 

This ensures that voters can be recorded as having voted in ‘real-time’ across all three hubs to prevent anyone from voting more than once. You don’t need to bring your poll card to vote early, but it may save you time if you bring it. 

At the end of each early voting day ballot papers will be sealed and stored securely. They will not be opened until counting begins after polls close on 7 May. 

Robert Pollock, Returning Officer for the City of Cambridge, said: “As the first council in England to trial early voting I hope we can encourage more people to come out and vote. Innovation is part of the DNA of Cambridge. We’ll be using the latest technology to offer voters greater flexibility in how and when they cast their vote securely.”

Vicky Jenner, Electoral Services Manager, said: “Early voting is an established and integral part of elections in many countries, helping people fit voting around work, study, caring responsibilities, and other commitments. In a city like Cambridge, with a large student population and a diverse range of voters, improving accessibility and flexibility is particularly important. I’m really excited to see how this trial can help remove barriers to participation while maintaining the security and integrity voters expect.”