CHESHIRE East Council is urging people to make sure they return their completed postal vote for the May elections in plenty of time before the deadline.

Postal voters are being urged to complete and return their postal votes at the earliest opportunity.

People are being advised to follow the instructions enclosed in the postal vote pack carefully. For a postal vote to be valid, electors must return both the ballot paper and the correctly completed postal voting statement.

Postal voters need to complete the postal voting statement accurately with their date of birth and signature.

In areas where voters receive more than one postal vote pack, these should be completed and returned separately.

The deadline for postal votes to be received is 10pm on election day on May 7.

Council Chief Executive Mike Suarez is the acting returning officer for the four parliamentary constituencies of Tatton, Macclesfield, Congleton, Crewe and Nantwich and for all the borough, town and parish wards in Cheshire East.

Mr Suarez said: “I would urge everyone who has opted for a postal vote to fill in their pack and return it as soon as possible – and not leave it until the last minute.

“It is important for the health and vitality of our democracy, both locally and nationally, that people, who are eligible, exercise their right to vote and have their say – and don’t miss the deadline to make their ballot count.”