- That is the primary basic election voters should present ID beforehand
- Passports, driving licences in addition to a blue badge are all legitimate types of ID
Britons ought to guarantee they’ve the proper picture identification to vote earlier than heading to the polling station in the present day, the Electoral Fee has warned.
This yr is the primary time within the UK that everyone desirous to vote in individual at a basic election should present ID earlier than receiving a poll paper.
Not all varieties of picture ID will likely be accepted at polling stations, however a passport, driving licence or blue badge are legitimate.
Different types of permitted ID embody an Older Particular person’s or Disabled Particular person’s Bus Cross or an Oyster 60+ card, the brand new free Voter Authority Certificates, and an id card bearing the Proof of Age Requirements Scheme hologram (a Cross card).
Polling stations will likely be open from 7am to 10pm.
The Electoral Fee has warned Brits up and down the nation to be prepared with their ID in the present day (pictured: poll field rely underway in 2023)
This basic election is the very first the place voters should present a sound type of ID earlier than being handed a poll sheet (file picture)
Craig Westwood, director of communications on the Electoral Fee, mentioned: ‘That is the primary time at a UK basic election the place voters might want to present photographic ID earlier than they’ll obtain their poll paper.
‘Bringing an accepted type of ID means your voice might be heard on the poll field.
‘Earlier than heading to the polling station, examine to just be sure you have the ID you should vote.
‘It must be an authentic model, copies and footage will not be accepted.
‘In case you do not keep in mind your ID if you arrive at a polling station, you’ll be able to return with it later within the day.
‘Anybody in a queue at 10pm will have the ability to forged their vote.’
Voters can discover info on their native polling station by coming into their postcode on the Electoral Fee web site.
Postal votes have to be returned by 10pm and will also be handed into polling stations and council workplaces.
If voters lose their ID, they’ll appoint an emergency proxy to vote on their behalf up till 5pm on election day.
Former prime minister Boris Johnson was turned away from a polling station after forgetting to convey a photograph ID in Might’s native elections.
Polling stations will likely be open to the general public from 7am till 10pm, with passports, driving licences and blue badges being accepted as legitimate types of ID (inventory picture)
Ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson launched voter ID guidelines as a part of the Elections Act 2022 in a bid to deal with in-person fraud (inventory picture)
Picture ID guidelines have been introduced in by Mr Johnson’s authorities as a part of the Elections Act 2022, because the Authorities mentioned they have been essential to fight the chance of in-person voter fraud.
The necessities have been first enforced on the Might 2023 native council elections in England.
A report printed in June 2023 by the Electoral Fee estimated that at the very least 0.25 per cent of people that tried to vote at a polling station in these elections weren’t issued with a poll paper due to the ID guidelines, the equal of roughly 14,000 voters.
Voter ID has been a requirement for elections in Northern Eire since 2002.
