Bradford residents urged to have their say in tomorrow's General Election

BRADFORD residents have been urged to have their say in the General Election, and reminded that “every vote counts.”

Polling stations open at 7am on Thursday and close at 10pm, with vote counting taking place overnight.

The Bradford District results are expected by Friday morning.

This General Election has seen a much wider range of candidates in Bradford, with many Independents running alongside the main political parties in the five constituencies – Bradford West, Bradford East, Bradford South, Keighley and Shipley.

Labour, which has been ahead in the polls nationally, see Shipley and Keighley as key targets.

And the Independents and Green Party will hope to build on their successes in the May local elections, where they picked up several Bradford Council seats.

It is the first General Election since the requirement for voters to show ID or a Voter Authority Certificate at the polling stations.

For more information on what form of ID you can use visit https://www.bradford.gov.uk/your-council/elections-and-voting/voter-id/

This year, there are also national changes to the rules about hand delivering postal votes.  Changes to the law mean that anyone hand-delivering postal votes will be required to complete a form and sign a declaration.

Any postal votes which are hand-delivered without the form being completed will be rejected.

You can hand-deliver postal votes to a polling station in your constituency on July 4 or, you can go to the Electoral Services Office, 3rd Floor, City Hall and personally hand your postal vote to a member of the Electoral Services team. In either case, you will be required to complete a form.

There is a limit as to how many postal votes can be handed in.

By law, you can only hand in your own postal vote and those of up to five others.

If you are a campaigner, you can only hand in your own postal vote, and those of close relatives or people you provide regular care for.

Dr Lorraine O'Donnell, Acting Returning Officer for Bradford Council, said: “Voting is your opportunity to have your say.  Every vote matters and I would encourage everyone to exercise their democratic right to vote.”

The vote count at this year's Local Election (Image: T&A)

Everyone should be able to vote with confidence and if you require support or assistance to cast your ballot this will be made available to you at the polling station.

If needed a large print ballot paper and tactile voting devices and visual aids are available at the polling station, and assistance dogs can be taken into the polling station with you.

If you have a carer or a support worker they can help you to cast your vote, or the Presiding Officer at each polling station can also help you to do this.

For more information visit https://www.bradford.gov.uk/your-council/elections-and-voting/general-election-2024/ or contact Electoral Services on 01274 432287.

The Bradford count will be taking place in Sedbergh Leisure Centre, with the Keighley and Shipley count taking place in Keighley Leisure Centre.

The Telegraph & Argus will be running a live blog from both counts.

Bradford East constituency

Jacob Pereira Anstey - Reform UK

Lara Joy Barras - Yorkshire Party

Celia Hickson - Green Party

Aubrey Gardner Holt - Conservative Party

Imran Hussain - Labour Party

Robert Michael St John O'Carroll - Liberal Democrats

Mohammed Sayfur Rahman - Independent

Amer Rehman - Independent

Richard Riley - Social Democratic Party

Talat Sajawal - Independent

Bradford South constituency

Rehiana Ali - Independent

Jonathan Daniel Stewart Barras - Yorkshire Party

Harry Boota - Workers Party

Judith Mary Cummins - Labour Party

Matt Edwards - Green Party

Ian Peter Eglin - Reform UK

Therese Hurst - English Democrats – Putting England First!

Zaf Shah - Conservative Party

Anthony John Smith - Liberal Democrats

Bradford West constituency

Imad Uddin Ahmed - Liberal Democrats

Umar Ghafoor - Independent

Jamie Alan Hinton-Wardle - Reform UK

Akeel Hussain - Independent

Muhammed Ali Islam - Independent

Khalid Mahmood - Green Party

Nigel David Moxon - Conservative Party

Naz Shah - Labour Party

Keighley and Ilkley constituency

Chris Adams - Liberal Democrats

Dominic James Atlas - Yorkshire Party

John Timothy Grogan - Labour Party

Andrew Mark Judson - Reform UK

Robbie Moore - Conservative Party

Vaz Shabir - Independent

John Wood - Green Party

Shipley constituency

Simon Dandy - Reform UK

Philip Andrew Davies - Conservative Party

Anna Louise Dixon - Labour Party

Will Grant - Yorkshire Party

Waqas Ali Khan - Workers Party

Darryl Neale Morton-Wright - Christian Peoples Alliance

Nagbea - Independent

Graham Richard Reed - Liberal Democrats

Paul Shkurka - Social Democratic Party

Kevin Robert Warnes - Green Party