May elections: contact your candidate about M.E.
March 29, 2021
Many areas across the United Kingdom have now entered a time of political purdah – the name given to the time between when an election campaign officially starts and when the vote is held.
This is a key time for people to write to their candidates and raise issues to be addressed. If you would like to write to any of your candidates in Scottish and Welsh parliamentary, local council or metro mayor elections, you can use our template letter at the bottom of this page. We would be grateful if you could share any response you get with us at policy@actionforme.org.uk.
Below is a timeline of key dates; some may vary slightly so please also check with your local authority for more information.
On or around Friday 9 April – Candidates lists are published
You can see the full list of candidates standing in elections by going to your local authority website.
5pm on Tuesday 20 April – Deadline to apply for a postal vote
If you are house/bed-bound, or are unsure of whether your health will allow you to go to a polling station on election day, you can request a postal or proxy vote. If you apply for this, we recommend that you post your vote back no less than two days before polling day. However, if you miss this deadline you can hand your vote in to your local polling station. Learn more about applying for a postal vote.
Monday 19 April – Deadline to register to vote
Many people do not know that they are not registered to vote until it is too late. You can check this, or register to vote here.
Tuesday 27 April – Deadline to register for a proxy vote
A proxy vote will allow you to approve someone else to go and vote on your behalf. Learn more about applying for a proxy vote.
Thursday 6 May – Polling day
Polls are open from 7am till 10pm. If you do not know where to go to vote you can find out here.
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Template letter
Dear *NAME*
I know you are busy in our local area but I would be grateful if you could spend just a couple of minutes and read the information below on behalf of people in this community with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.), also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).
M.E. affects roughly 250,000 men, woman and children in the UK. One in four people with M.E. are severely affected by the condition and are house-bound or bed-bound. Action for M.E.’s 2019 Big Survey of people with M.E. found that 92% have felt socially isolated because of their condition, with 4 out of 5 people stopping or reducing paid work. The results also show that 33% of respondents require full or part time care and 1 in 4 said it has affected their decision to have children.
If elected, will you pledge to be a voice for me and speak up on issues that affect people with M.E./CFS? Will you also meet with Action for M.E. to discuss how you can work with them to improve the lives of people with M.E.?
Thank you for reading this letter. Knowing there could be an elected representative who is committed to standing up for people with M.E./CFS can make a huge difference to so many people.
