I AM A VOTER

If you are registered and entitled to vote, you will receive a poll card in the post before Polling Day on Thursday 2 May 2024.

The name and address of your polling station will be printed on the poll card that is delivered to you. You don’t need your poll card to vote. You can only vote at the polling station stated on your polling card.

Electors voting in the polling stations must show an acceptable form of photo ID before they can be issued with a ballot paper. A list of the acceptable forms of ID will be included on your poll card. You can also check with your local electoral services office or at electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/voter-id.

Only the documents shown on the list can be used as voter ID and must be an original document, not a photocopy or a photo on your phone. Expired documents are acceptable provided that the photo is still a good likeness  of you.

If you don’t have any of the acceptable forms of photo ID, you can apply for a free election ID, known as a Voter Authority Certificate (VAC). The deadline to apply for a VAC is 5pm on 24 April 2024. It may take time to process your application so please apply as soon as you can. 

You can apply online here:

Gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate or you can download a form to apply by post or contact your local electoral services office for help. When applying for a Voter Authority Certificate, you will need to provide your:

• name
• address
• date of birth
• National Insurance number 

You will need to submit a photo with your application. The requirements for the photo are similar to the requirements for a passport photo. If you need help taking a photo, your local electoral services office will be able to do this for you.

Anyone who is registered to vote can apply to vote by post. Your poll card provides information about how to apply for a postal vote. 

New applications for a postal vote must be made by 5pm on 17 April 2024. You need to prove your identity when applying for a postal vote and it may take time to process your application so please apply as early as you can. You can apply online at https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote or contact your local electoral services office.  

If you are a registered postal voter, you will receive a postal poll card telling you when your postal vote will be sent and what address it will be delivered to.

When your postal vote arrives, please follow the instructions in the postal ballot pack very carefully. Your postal vote must reach the Local Returning Officer by 10pm on Thursday 2 May 2024. 

If you miss the post, you can hand it in at a polling station or at the council office specified by your Local Returning Officer. There are new rules about handing in postal votes so please read the instructions with your postal vote pack carefully or it may be rejected.

This means you appoint someone you trust to vote on your behalf at your polling station. The person you appoint as your proxy must be a registered elector and eligible to vote in the election and able to vote at your allocated polling station on your behalf. They will have to show their photo ID at the polling station. The deadline for applications to vote by proxy at this election is 5pm on 24 April 2024.  You can find more information about how to apply here: gov.uk/vote-uk-election or by contacting your local electoral services office