At parish council elections voters have the opportunity to choose representatives who will make decisions about their immediate community, including some local services, facilities and neighbourhood priorities.
Click on the sections below to find out more about how parish councils work, how and when to vote and how to stand as a candidate.
Parish councillors are elected using the First Past the Post (FPTP) voting system.
Each voter can vote for as many candidates as there are seats to fill. The candidates with the highest number of votes are elected.
Parish council elections are held every four years, normally on the first Thursday in May. The last parish council elections were on Thursday 4 May 2023.
The next parish council elections are in May 2027.
If a councillor resigns, dies or becomes disqualified during their term of office, their seat may be filled by:
- A by-election, if requested by 10 local electors for that parish
- Co-option by the parish council (when the existing councillors choose a new councillor, if an election hasn't been requested)
You can vote in a parish council election if you are all of the below:
- Registered to vote in that parish
- Aged 18 or over on polling day
- A British or Irish citizen, a qualifying Commonwealth citizen or a qualifying EU citizen
British citizens registered to vote as British citizens living overseas cannot vote at parish council elections.
Information about standing as a candidate, including copies of the nomination papers which must be submitted by all candidates, election timetables and deadlines will be published when the election is announced.
View the Electoral Commission Guidance for candidates at parish council elections in England.
There are 48 parish councils in Bath and North East Somerset.