Due to essential maintenance, the following systems will be unavailable from 3.00pm on Friday 31 March until 8.00am Monday 3 April 2023: our online council tax, business rates and housing benefit services, and our welfare assistance form. You will also not be able to register to pay council tax online, make a change of address for council tax or cancel single person discount. You are still able to make a payment during this time. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Register for May elections

Published December 16, 2020 1.48pm

Residents in County Durham are being urged to ensure they are registered to vote ahead of local elections next year.

County and parish council elections are due to take place in May 2021, along with the election of a new Police, Crime and Victims Commissioner for County Durham and Darlington.

We are already preparing for the elections, and in January will be writing to residents across the county to ask them to confirm that the details held for them on the electoral register are correct.

If the information is accurate, then you do not have to do anything, but if it is incorrect, it is important to return the form with the right information.

We are also ensuring that measures will be in place to accommodate any coronavirus restrictions that may impact on polling stations and count venues.

Apply for a postal vote

As part of these measures, we are encouraging people to think about applying for a postal vote so that they do not have to attend a polling station.

To register to vote, go online to register at Gov.uk: register to vote.

To apply for a postal vote, simply complete and return the form you receive in January or visit Apply to vote by post.

For more information, call 03000 261 212 or email electoralservices@durham.gov.uk