How to apply for free voter ID ahead of local elections deadline
Wednesday 24 April is the last day voters who don't have photo ID can apply.
The deadline to apply for free voter ID for the local elections is looming.
Wednesday is the last day people who don't have photo ID - such as a passport or driving licence - to apply for a voter authority certificate which would enable them to cast ballots in the 2 May polls.
This is under new rules brought in by the government two years ago.
Here, Yahoo News UK explains everything you need to know about voter ID in the context on next month's elections.
When are the elections?
Thursday, 2 May. Every eligible voter in England and Wales will be able to cast a ballot in at least one type of election on this day.
Nearly 2,700 council seats in England are up for grabs across 107 local authorities, while 37 police and crime commissioners in England and Wales will also be chosen.
Polls are also taking place to elect some of the most high-profile mayors in the country, including London, Greater Manchester and the West Midlands.
What is voter ID?
All voters intending to cast a ballot on 2 May will not only need to be registered, but also show a form of photo identification at the polling station.
Photo ID rules were brought in as part of the Elections Act 2022, with the government saying they were necessary to combat the risk of in-person voter fraud.
The requirements were first enforced at last year’s local elections in England.
What voter ID is allowed?
Passports, driving licences, blue badges and certain bus passes are valid. A full list of accepted forms of voter ID can be found on the Electoral Commission website.
Anyone without these forms of voter ID - or who no longer looks like the photo on their ID, or whose name on their ID is different to their name on the electoral register - can still apply for a voter authority certificate but there's not long left.
How do I apply?
It is free and can be done on the government website, with applicants needing a recent photo of themselves and their National Insurance number.
When is the deadline?
The deadline to apply for a voter authority certificate for the elections on 2 May is 5pm on Wednesday (24 April).
Applications will be processed by the applicant's local council, which will send the certificates in the post.
As of Wednesday last week, the PA news agency reported that 35,155 applications for a voter authority certificate had been made so far this year.
Am I registered to vote?
People in England and Wales, where elections are taking place on 2 May, can check if they are registered to vote by contacting their local Electoral Registration Office. This can be found on the government website.
However, the deadline for registering to vote in the elections passed on Tuesday last week.
A total of 153,614 applications were submitted last Tuesday, the highest for a single day so far this year and more than three times the previous high of 43,037, which was set the previous day.
People wanting to vote in future elections can register on the government website.
Who is standing in my local area?
You can find out which elections are taking place in your area by visiting the Electoral Commission website and entering your postcode.
You can then see who is standing, and find out more information about them, by following the link to the "Who Can I Vote For?" website.
