About Bristol Electoral Services

Electoral Services is responsible for maintaining the Register of Electors in Bristol. This is the list of people who can vote at elections.

The City of Bristol is divided into thirty-five wards and four constituencies. There are currently a total of 326,894 registered electors.

Bristol Electoral Services has an independent staff team who report to the Returning Officer. The Returning Officer is responsible for the running of an election and for ensuring that it is run in accordance with the law. The duties of the Returning Officer are separate from their duties as a local government officer.

Elections held in the City of Bristol

Bristol City Council elections

Bristol City Council elections are where councillors for Bristol City Council are elected. These elections take place in three out of four years, electing a third of the council each time.

The next Bristol City Council elections are scheduled for May 2, 2013.

Referendum

Referendum – a question where there is a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ response.

• A referendum for Bristol to decide whether to have an elected Mayor was held in 2012.
• There was a Referendum on the voting system for UK Parliamentary Elections in 2011.

UK Parliamentary elections

Parliamentary elections, where Members of Parliament representing Bristol East, Bristol North West, Bristol South and Bristol West are elected. These national elections take place at least every five years, and the last election was in 2010. The next election is anticipated in 2015.

European Parliamentary elections

Bristol is part of the South West region of England for the election of members of the European Parliament. These elections take place every five years, with the next elections in June 2014.

Elections and Democracy Committee

The Council has set up an Election and Democracy Committee to oversee the improvements to Electoral Services. Its terms of reference are to:

1. monitor, guide, oversee and make recommendations in relation to all work concerning elections undertaken by the council or the Returning Officer / Acting Returning Officer.
2. monitor, guide, oversee and make recommendations in relation to all work undertaken by the council in answering it’s duty to promote democracy.