The first round of postal votes will be landing on doormats this week for local elections that take place in May.

All 39 Hertsmere Borough Council seats are up for election on Thursday 2 May, along with parish and town council seats.

The council has sent around 11,500 postal votes to residents who have registered for a postal vote.

When voting by post, you should:

• mark your vote on your ballot paper in secret - please ensure you read the ballot paper to ensure you know how many candidates you are voting for.

• fill in the postal voting statement

• put the ballot paper and statement in the envelope provided

• seal the envelope yourself

Post your ballot pack immediately to make sure it’s counted. If you miss the post you have until 10pm on election day to hand it in at a polling station in your ward or return it to the Civic Office in Borehamwood.

Sam Langford, electoral services manager for Hertsmere Borough Council, said: “This year is particularly important for Hertsmere as we have whole council elections, which means all 39 borough council seats are up for election in May.

“When you receive your postal voting pack read the enclosed instructions, complete your postal vote and return it us as soon as possible in the prepaid envelopes provided. You have until the close of poll on election day to return your postal vote to us. If it arrives later than this time it will not be counted.

“Once you have been issued a postal vote you cannot vote at a polling station."

The deadline for register to vote in the 2019 local elections has now passed.

If you do not vote by post, and if you are registered, then you can cast a vote at your designated polling station on May 2.

Find out who is up standing to be a councillor in Hertsmere here