Voters in the UK will be required to present photo identification to prove who they are when they arrive at polling stations for the latest round of local elections on Thursday 4 May.
This follows a change to the law instigated by the UK government and first trailed in the Queen’s Speech of May 2021.
It was subsequently brought in as part of the Elections Act 2022, which was passed by Parliament last April in the interest of improving election security.
It does not apply to those voting by post but members of the public voting in person will now be required to prove their identity, a move that has led some democracy activists to warn it could deter citizens from casting their ballots and lead to greater disenfranchisement, given that Cabinet Office research from 2021 found that 9 per cent of the British public do not currently have a valid form of photo ID.
To address that, the government launched the Voter Authority Certificate, a document that individuals can apply for online and which is free but requires that you already be registered to vote and supply a recent digital photo, your date of birth and National Insurance number to claim.
While the deadline to apply in time for the upcoming elections (25 April 2023) has now passed, you can still cast your vote by presenting any one of 21 alternative forms of ID.
Volunteers will be asked to check these on Thursday before allowing you to proceed to the voting booth.
The full list of 21 alternatives is as follows:
- A driving licence (full or provisional) issued by the UK, Channel Islands, Isle of Man or EEA state.
- A blue parking badge.
- An older person’s bus pass.
- A disabled person’s bus pass.
- An Oyster 60+ card.
- A Freedom Pass.
- A Scottish National Entitlement Card.
- A 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card.
- A Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card.
- A Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland.
- A Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland.
- A War Disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland.
- A 60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland.
- A Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland.
- An identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) hologram.
- A biometric immigration document.
- A Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card).
- A national identity card issued by an EEA state.
- An Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland.
- An Anonymous Elector’s Document.
Following the new requirement’s introduction this week, the photo ID law will apply to all UK general elections from October 2023.
The next is set to be held no later than 25 January 2025.
