Studying Time: 3 minutes
For the primary time ever, UK voters might be required to point out photographic ID earlier than they will vote in Parliamentary elections, which embrace the native elections on 2nd Could 2024. Whereas most individuals can have some type of accepted picture ID, there’ll nonetheless be many who gained’t – or they will’t afford to pay for the related ID doc. This quick-look information tells you all the pieces it is advisable to learn about picture ID for voting within the UK.
What Photograph ID Can I Use to Vote?
How you can Get Free Photograph ID to Vote
Why Do I Want Photograph ID?
Photographic ID has been launched to fight voting fraud, though within the final election, there have been solely 33 instances of suspected in-person voting fraud – out of 58 million votes.. This can be a controversial transfer by the Authorities, as it is going to put decrease revenue folks at an obstacle. For instance, a legitimate UK passport is accepted ID however these come at a price of over £100. Even the Authorities’s personal analysis concluded that voter ID necessities would negatively affect the flexibility for folks to vote if they’re from decrease socio-economic backgrounds with out {qualifications}, those that are unemployed, and other people with extreme disabilities, particularly as lots of them gained’t have any type of photographic ID.
No matter your opinion on whether or not voting ID is an effective or dangerous concept, you will want one for voting in particular person at a polling station. Your ID should match your registered identify, i.e., the one in your polling card, and the picture should be an analogous sufficient likeness that it’s clearly you. So, strive to not use a driving license with that 15-year-old picture you snuck in in your final licence renewal in case you get turned away!
What Photograph ID Can I Use to Vote?
For England, Scotland, and Wales, there are a variety of sorts of picture ID which are accepted by polling stations for in-person voting.
- A full or provisional UK photocard driving licence
- A photocard driving licence from the EU, Channel Islands, Norway, Lichtenstein, Isle of Man or Iceland (if you’re eligible to vote)
- A UK passport or
- A passport or nationwide identification card issued by an EU nation, Lichtenstein, Norway, Iceland, or a Commonwealth nation (and also you’re eligible to vote)
- A Defence Identification Card
- A Blue Badge
- A Biometric Resident Allow (BRP)
- An identification doc with the PASS hologram
- An Nameless Elector’s Doc
- An older particular person’s or disabled particular person’s bus move
- An Oyster 60+ card (different Oyster playing cards usually are not accepted)
- A Scottish Nationwide Entitlement Card
- A 60 and Over or Disabled Particular person’s Welsh Concessionary Journey Card
- A Freedom Move
In Northern Eire, you should use:
- A photocard driving licence from the UK, Eire, or EEA (provisional or full)
- A passport issued by the UK or Eire (EU passports usually are not accepted for UK Parliamentary elections)
- Translink SmartPass: Half Fare, 60+, Senior, Warfare Disablement/Warfare Disabled, Registered Blind / Blind Particular person’s SmartPass
- A Biometric Immigration Doc
Your handle doesn’t need to match between these paperwork and your present handle – the ID is in your identification examine and never an handle examine. You solely want picture ID if you’re voting in particular person – it isn’t required for postal votes or voting by proxy (which is while you get another person to go to the polling station for you, normally attributable to a medical emergency or incapacity, or in case your employment prevents you from attending to a polling station throughout opening hours).
Your picture ID doesn’t must be in date, you simply need to appear to be your {photograph} on it.
How you can Get Free ID to Vote
In the event you don’t have any of these types of ID, otherwise you don’t appear to be the picture in your accepted ID anymore, don’t panic – however it’s essential to act NOW to have the ability to vote on the native elections on 2nd Could 2024.
Apply for a Photograph ID Authority Voter Certificates earlier than twenty fourth April 2024 to get yours in time for voting.
In the event you reside in Northern Eire, it’s essential to apply for an Electoral Identification Card.
