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Local elections will be held in England and Northern Ireland next month, with more than 8,000 parliamentary seats contested in 230 local governments.
Bedford, Leicester, Mansfield and Middlesbrough are also voting for a mayor, but no elections are scheduled for London or Birmingham.
The May 4th election will be the first election under the new rules. This means that some elections and referendums in England require voters to show photo identification before they can receive their ballots.
The Electoral Commission has announced that additional polling place staff will be drafted to deal with the new voter ID rules. There are concerns that this policy could disenfranchise people.
The agency’s public affairs director, Craig Westwood, said a large-scale campaign will be held for “several months” to ensure voters are supported in navigating the photo ID requirement. You said training was done.
New government policies mean that people must not only register to vote, but also have identification such as a passport or driver’s license when heading to their local polling place.
It has been branded by the Labor Party as “expensive” and “unnecessary” and has sparked concern among election reform campaigners who say it could make it harder for some voters to vote.
of Local government association Election staff have expressed concern that they will be “overwhelmed” on Election Day as they grapple with “the largest in-person voting transformation in 150 years.”
If you do not have proper identification, you must apply for a Voter Proof of Identity (VAC) by April 25.
Here are some important things to know about registration and voting.
How to register to vote
To be able to vote in elections in England, you must first register to vote.
You can do this online. www.gov.uk/register-to-vote It tends to take about 5 minutes.
Generally, you do not need to register for each election, but if you change your address, name, or nationality, you will need to register again.
When is the deadline to register to vote?
The deadline to register to vote for the 4 May elections in England is 11:59 pm on 17 April.
For the local government elections in Northern Ireland on May 18th, voters must register by 11:59pm on April 28th.
Check with your local government to see if you are registered.
Who can vote?
In England you must be over 18 to vote. The age requirement is the same in Northern Ireland.
In Scotland and Wales parliamentary (sened) elections and local elections, voters can be up to 16 in both countries.
Other elections in Scotland and Wales require voters to be at least 18 years of age.
To vote in a General Election you must be registered to vote, be over the age of 18, be a UK, Irish or eligible Commonwealth citizen, reside at a UK address and be legally excluded from voting. Shouldn’t be.
British citizens living abroad can vote if they have been registered to vote in the UK in the last 15 years.
What forms of identification are accepted?
Various forms of photo ID are accepted, but not all elections and referendums require voters to present them. But the one that takes place on May 4th will be.
Photo ID is required at the next election.
- UK parliamentary by-election
- Local elections in England (including councils, mayors, Greater London Authority and parishes)
- Withdrawal of parliamentary petitions in England, Scotland and Wales
- Elections for Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales
- England Neighborhood Planning Referendum and Business Improvement District Referendum
- Local government referendums in England (including city tax increase referendums)
Examples of acceptable photo ID include a UK or Northern Ireland photo driver’s license (permanent or provisional), UK passport, EU or Commonwealth issued passport, blue badge.
In England, people who do not have a recognized photo ID, who no longer look like the picture on their ID, or whose name differs from the name on their ID can apply for a VAC.
It’s free and can only be used as identification in this setting.
To apply for a VAC in time for the May 4 election, you must do so by 5:00 p.m. on April 25, 2023.
How to find your polling place
On Election Day, polling places (often schools and local community centers) are open from 7am to 10pm.
Polling place details are on the ballot card sent to registered voters just before an election or referendum.
You may only vote at the polling place location listed on your ballot card.
If you have not received your ballot card but believe you should have, please contact your region. Electoral Registrar’s Officealso helps you find polling places where you can vote.