VOTERS across the borough are being urged to use their votes in the May 4 elections.

A spokesperson for St Helens Council said; "Wherever you live, turn out and vote. A low turn-out gives the message that you don't care. Various voting arrangements are being made across the region this year. Let's show that we in St Helens do care about our town and boost local turn-out figures."

To help voters the council is launching its first Early Voting Scheme across six wards to get people back to the ballot box. Voters in these wards can choose to vote between 7am and 10pm on either Friday, April 28 or Saturday, April 29.

Voters in Parr and Hardshaw, Blackbrook and Broad Oak can vote on those days at the Community Facility in Holy Trinity Church, Traverse Street, Fingerpost; while voters in Grange Park, Thatto Heath and West Sutton can use the mobile which will be placed on the grass verge on Elephant Lane opposite the shops in Thatto Heath Road.

This gives people in those wards greater opportunities to vote as very often they can't get to the polls on the traditional Thursday date. However, the normal voting arrangements will still apply across the borough.

Urging the use of the early voting facilities the spokesperson added: "By offering voting facilities on a Friday and Saturday for longer hours than operating at local elections we hope people will turn out to vote and put St Helens on the voting map."