Monday 17th April 2023
The UK Government has introduced a new legal requirement for voters to show photo ID when voting at a polling station.
Due to the mobile nature of Service life this important message could have been missed by personnel and families. It is important you have the opportunity to vote in local elections, as much as your civilian counterparts, so here we share all you need to know about the new requirements to vote:
The new legal requirement for voters
From 4 May 2023, voters in England will need to show photo ID to vote at polling stations in some elections. This will apply to:
- Local elections
- Police and Crime Commissioner elections
- UK parliamentary by-elections
- Recall petitions
From October 2023 it will also apply to UK General elections.
Check if your photo ID is valid
Firstly, in order to vote you need to be registered. Once registered, you will require an accepted form of photo ID to vote in a poling station.
Forces Families can check if they have an accepted form of photo ID using this website (gov.uk).
Voter Authority Certificate
If your ID does not match the list, you can apply for a free voter ID document, known as the Voter Authority Certificate (VAC) by 5pm – Tuesday 25 April 2023.
