On Thursday 7 May 2026, electors in Surrey will get the opportunity to vote for who they want to represent them on their new East Surrey Council or West Surrey Council, depending on where they live. All Surrey residents are being urged to make sure they are ready to vote in these important elections.

Local government in Surrey is changing. From April 2027, the existing county council and 11 district and borough councils will be replaced with two new unitary councils - East Surrey Council and West Surrey Council under the Government’s plans for Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution. The councils will provide all the local council services you rely on - education, waste collection, roads, housing, play areas, children’s services, adult social care and more - in their respective geographies.

Those living in areas covered by Elmbridge, Epsom & Ewell, Mole Valley, Reigate & Banstead and Tandridge councils will vote in the East Surrey Council Elections, while the those in the Guildford, Runnymede, Spelthorne, Surrey Heath, Waverley and Woking council areas will vote in the West Surrey Council elections.

What is important about these elections

Councillors elected to East Surrey Council and West Surrey Council in May 2026 will serve for five years, until May 2031.

Initially, they will work as part of a ‘shadow authority’. During this period, they will set budgets and council tax for 2027/28, agree staffing structures and governance arrangements, adopt codes of conduct and members’ allowance schemes and prepare for the transfer of responsibilities from the existing councils.

Councillors will then continue to represent their communities once the new East Surrey and West Surrey unitary councils take over delivering local government services for each area, from 1 April 2027. Surrey County Council and the 11 district and borough councils will be dissolved.

Make-up of the new councils

East Surrey Council will have 72 councillors representing each of its 36 wards and West Surrey Council will have 90 councillors covering 45 wards.

Electors will be able to vote for up to two councillors to represent their ward. The two candidates with the highest number of votes will be elected (first past the post).

Details of candidates standing for election in each area will be published by 4pm on Friday 10 April 2026 on the district or borough council’s website for the area in which they are standing. A full list will be available on the Future Surrey website: surreylgrhub.gov.uk.

Existing county, borough and district councillors

Existing county, borough and district councillors will continue in their roles until 31 March 2027, so there will be no elections for these councils in May 2026, unless there is a by-election for a particular ward. This means that for now, nothing changes in the way council services are delivered.

Get election ready

Mari Roberts-Wood, Returning Officer for the East Surrey Elections, said: “Don’t miss your chance to have your say in these important elections. This is your opportunity to choose who represents you on issues that directly affect your day-to-day life in your local area. The councillors you elect on 7 May will have a key role in setting up and then running the new councils, which will take over delivering your local government services in April 2027. Make sure you know what’s changing and that you are ready to vote on 7 May.”

Andrew Pritchard, Returning Officer for the West Surrey Elections, continued: “Make sure you’re registered to vote if you aren’t already, especially if you have recently moved house, changed you name or just turned 18. If you’re in doubt about whether you need to register to vote, or have questions, visit the Electoral Commission’s website, or contact your council."

Register to vote

To be able to vote in these elections, you must be registered to vote by midnight on 20 April 2026. If you’re not already registered, register now at gov.uk/register-to-vote

Electors can vote in person, by post or by proxy.

Bring photo ID

To vote in person you must bring an accepted form of photo ID. These include a passport, a driving licence or a concessionary travel pass, such as an older person’s bus pass. You can use expired IDs if the photo still looks like you. For a full list of accepted photo ID visit electoralcommission.org.uk/voterid

If you don’t have an accepted form of photo ID, apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate (VAC) by 5pm on 28 April 2026 at gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate

If you are voting on behalf of someone else as their proxy, you will need to bring your own photo ID.

Unable to make it to the polling station?

If you won’t be able to get to a polling station on election day, you can apply online for a postal vote or proxy vote at gov.uk/how-to-vote. Apply as soon as possible to make sure you receive your postal vote pack or proxy vote in good time. The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on Tuesday 21 April 2026. For a proxy vote – when a friend or relative you trust casts your vote for you – apply by 5pm on 28 April 2026.

More information

For more about these elections and the upcoming changes in Surrey, visit surreylgrhub.gov.uk/elections

For clear, trusted information about voting and elections, visit electoralcommission.org.uk

If you don’t have access to the internet, contact your local district or borough council for assistance.