Councils elections 2011: have you voted yet?

If you have still to vote in the 2011 RCVS Council or VN Council elections, remember that there is an earlier-than-usual voting deadline this year – 5pm on 27 April – to take account of the extra bank holiday for the Royal Wedding.

Voting papers, candidate information and instructions were posted to all veterinary surgeons and veterinary nurses (VNs) in March, and all candidate information has also been made available online.

Questions may also be addressed to candidates directly via the online communities at www.vetsurgeon.org and www.vetnurse.co.uk.

Votes can be cast online, by post, or by SMS text from a mobile phone (security codes for electronic voting are printed on the ballot papers) and must be received by 5pm on 27 April. 

We will donate 20p on behalf of every vet and VN who votes to the Veterinary Benevolent Fund (VBF), a charity that supports vets, VNs and their families, when facing mental health, financial or similar difficulties.

Further information about the VBF may be found at http://www.vetlife.org.uk/.

“Cast your votes on or before 27 April to make them count,” says RCVS Registrar Jane Hern.

“The RCVS and VN Council elections are the veterinary professions’ chance to have their say as to who should regulate them – so use your votes.”

To maintain proper independence from the RCVS the election process is managed by Electoral Reform Services.

Veterinary surgeons who have not received, or have misplaced, their ballot papers should request an official duplicate from Ian Holloway ([email protected] or 020 7202 0727); veterinary nurses should contact Annette Amato ([email protected] or 020 7202 0713).