Voter ID Frequently Asked Questions
Have you got any questions about the implications of the Elections Act (2022), especially the introduction of mandatory photo ID to vote? Or do you want to understand how these changes impact who can vote and how we vote? The answer might be on this page.
You can find British Sign Language FAQs available to watch below.
If you would prefer to download the Easy Read version of the FAQs please use the button below.
The Elections Act (2022) brings changes to the way we vote and who can vote.
Hence, the Greater London Authority (GLA), Shout Out UK and a diverse coalition of civil society
organisations, education institutions and London borough electoral services are coming together to
deliver an impartial public awareness campaign. The campaign aims to inform all eligible
Londoners, particularly under-registered and under-represented Londoners of all backgrounds,
about these unprecedented changes, most notably the introduction of mandatory photo
identification in order to vote in General Elections, in local/ borough elections and Mayor of
London/ London Assembly elections in London, and changes to the voting rights of some EU
Londoners.
The GLA - led public awareness campaign is coordinated with the Electoral Commission and
delivered by Shout Out UK (SOUK). Building on the annual London Voter Registration Week
model, the GLA and SOUK have co-designed information and education materials with under-
represented communities who will be disproportionately impacted by these changes. Materials will
be shared online and information activity will take place offline with the support of the 3 Million and
a broad, pan-London coalition of partners.
In parallel, and to complement this activity, successful bidders to the GLA Voter ID awareness
campaign grants will deliver activity in trusted community settings. You can find more information
on the GLA Democracy Hub at https://registertovote.london/
The Greater London Authority (GLA), also known as London City Hall, is the London regional
government, with jurisdiction over Greater London and the City of London. The GLA is made up of
the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.
Shout Out UK is an impartial creative social enterprise with a specialist focus on raising media and
political literacy amongst young people. Shout Out UK has been the delivery partner for the GLA -
coordinated London Voter Registration Week in 2020, 2021 and 2022. For the impartial Voter ID
public awareness campaign, SOUK will promote and share all the resources, including social
media assets and suggested social media copy to ensure impartiality at all times, and education
materials with communities and partners across London and with education institutions.
The changes to democratic rights brought in by the Elections Act (2022) pose significant barriers to
already under-registered and under-represented Londoners, many of whom have been
disproportionately impacted by the Covid pandemic and face the cost-of-living crisis.
London already has one of the lowest voter registration rates across the UK regions and nations,
with almost one in three young Londoners (16 - 24 year olds) and one in five Black Londoners not
registered to vote.
GLA City Intelligence research has shown that:
-
● Half a million (around 550,000) Londoners do not possess a passport
● Over two and a half million (over 2,600,000) Londoners would not have a full driving
licence. Females are less likely to have a driving licence (42%) compared with males
(32%).
● One in four (26 per cent) of Londoners aged between 60 and 65 do not have an Oyster
photocard
● Only around one in five (18%) of disabled Londoners would be able to present a
Freedom Pass as photo ID to be able to vote.
Further polling from the GLA and YouGov, carried out between July - August 2022 has shown that:
-
● 6 in 10 Londoners (61%) are not aware of the forthcoming photo ID requirement in
order to vote
● The third who are aware is comprised of 13% who are aware of which forms of ID will
be accepted and 20% who are not
● Black (30%) and other / mixed Londoners are the least aware (27%) of the requirement,
and Londoners born in the EU are slightly less likely to be aware than those born in the
UK (34% compared to 29%)
● Londoners on lower household incomes are less likely to be aware – this is seen most
strikingly by social grade, where 38% ABC1 Londoners are aware compared to 25% of
C2DE Londoners.
● One in 10 Londoners (11%) does not hold a form of approved photo ID required to vote
and specified in the Elections Act (2022)
● Close to 1 in 5 Londoners aged under 25 say that they do not hold an approved ID
(19%).
All this evidence is on top of the structural barriers research shows Deaf and disabled Londoners
and LGBTQ+ Londoners, especially trans and non-binary Londoners, face when trying to exercise
their civic and democratic rights.
Approved photo ID cannot be any form of ID. Londoners will need to possess and present one of
these acceptable forms of IDs recognised in law as proof of identity required to be able to vote:
-
● A United Kingdom passport
● A passport issued by an EEA state or a Commonwealth country
● A national identity card issued by an EEA state
● A UK driving licence
● A driving licence issued by the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or an EEA state
● A biometric immigration document
● An identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
● A Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
● Concessionary travel passes funded by the UK Government: Older Person’s Bus Pass,
Disabled Person’s Bus Pass, Oyster 60+ Card, Freedom Pass
● A Blue Badge
● A free Voter Authority Certificate.
If they are not in this list, other photo IDs issued by third parties will not be accepted as proof of
identity in order to be able to vote.
The requirement for photo voter ID to vote will be applicable at local elections in England from May
2023. As there are no elections in London in 2023, the first time it will apply in London will be at the
May 2024 elections. The requirement for the UK Parliamentary General elections will only take
effect for polls after 5 October 2023.
Expired photographic identification documents can still be used as accepted photographic ID at the
polling station or signing place, as long as the photograph is still a good likeness of the elector.
For the full list of acceptable forms of photo ID to vote and more info on the guidance issued by the
Electoral Commission to Electoral Registration Officers check
If someone does not have or cannot afford one of these acceptable photographic IDs, they will
need to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate. In 2023, the government is going to launch an
online gov.uk portal where individuals can apply for this free certificate which will be issued by
borough councils electoral services.
The Electoral Commission has issued Electoral Registration Officers with this information on how
to manage the applications for the free Voter Authority Certificate:
To find out what info the Voter Authority Certificate must contain, check:
You can find more info on how your identity will be checked at:
The Electoral Commission is publishing national guidance on
https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/ .
You can find the impartial GLA Voter ID campaign resources and further info on how to get
involved on the GLA Democracy Hub at https://registertovote.london/ .
You can apply for, renew or update your licence, view or share your driving licence at
https://www.gov.uk/browse/driving/driving-licences.
You can apply online for a British passport at https://www.gov.uk/apply-renew-passport. You can
pick up passport application forms from your local Post Office and apply by post, or use the PostOffice Check and Send service.
You can find out more about the 60+ London Oyster photocard at https://tfl.gov.uk/fares/free-and-discounted-travel/60-plus-oyster-photocard.
You can apply for or renew a Blue Badge at https://www.gov.uk/apply-blue-badge. For questions about the Blue Badge scheme contact your local council.
The Big Issue Foundation has a Hand Up Fund for people who experience homelessness or
precarious accommodation and need support to get a photo ID. For more info check
https://www.bigissue.com/big-issue-foundation/
Your local Citizens Advice might also be able to support. Find your local branch at
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
Yes, registering to vote remains the first step to exercising your democratic rights. You will need to
register to vote well in advance of election day, so make sure to prep ahead!
It couldn't be easier – just head to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote and fill in the online form. All you need is your National Insurance (NI) number. It only takes 5 minutes! But don’t worry if you don’t
know or don’t have an NI number – just leave your contact details during the online registration
process, and your local council electoral services will get in touch.
Yes! You can still apply through the online voter registration portal, but you must leave your contact
details. Your individual council electoral services will then get in contact to verify your identity
through alternative means to complete the process. For example, you may be asked for a birth
certificate, utility bills, bank statements, etc. This means you can still register to vote, even if you
don't have your National Insurance number to hand. Your national insurance number is used in the
registration process as a unique identifier, the easiest and quickest way to confirm who you are.
Throughout 2023, British, Irish, Commonwealth and EU citizens residing in London can register
and vote. But due to the UK having left the European Union, the voting rights of some EU nationals
could change in the future.
For up to date information check https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/.
If you are a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen residing in London then you can vote
in all elections, including the UK general/ parliamentary elections and referendums, London local/
borough council elections and the Mayor of London/ London Assembly elections.
Throughout 2023, if you are an EU citizen residing in London, then you are only able to vote in
local elections, such as London borough council elections and the Mayor of London/ London
Assembly elections.
However, due to the Elections Act (2022), some EU Londoners (those who are not a citizen of
Poland, Portugal, Spain and Luxembourg, those who have arrived after 1 Jan 2021 and those who
don’t have lawful residence) could lose their voting rights in the future.
For up to date information check https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/.
No! It's a common misconception. In London, and the rest of England, you actually have to register
to vote from 16 years old, but you won't be able to vote in an election until you're 18.
Yes, you can! Many people do not have a fixed or permanent address, and some might be
homeless. You can still register to vote at a place where you either have the most local connection
or spend most of your time, by making a declaration of local connection. There is a specific form
for registering in this case - you can find it at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/register-to-vote-if-you-havent-got-a-fixed-or-permanent-address
No, unfortunately not. You must re-register to vote if you ever change your address, your legal
name or your nationality. Dual nationals should re-register when they get their British citizenship
because it carries with it full voting rights.
Registering to vote enables you to exercise your fundamental democratic rights, which were hard
won and unfortunately not available to all Londoners!
Being registered also improves your credit score because potential lenders are able to refer to the
electoral register to verify your name and address. The electoral register is also used to draw
participants for jury service – diverse juries are more likely to result in fairer verdicts.
You decide if you want to vote or not. But, making sure you are registered to vote and have the
right photo ID to be able to vote, allows you to have your voice heard on the issues that matter to
you, your family and your community, on London’s and the country’s future.
Your data and your vote will be safe and secure. But, if you are concerned about your safety, you
can register to vote anonymously. The steps required for this process are available at
https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/register-vote/register-vote-anonymously
If you are concerned about the security of your personal information, namely about being on the
‘open register’ which can be purchased by third parties, you are always able to ‘opt-out’ of the open
register during the online registration process. You will remain on the ‘full register’ which is used by
borough electoral services (for e.g. to send out poll cards before elections) and for checking loans
applications/ credit score checks. This is different to being registered anonymously, where your
details will not appear on either the ‘open register’ or the ‘full register’.
Anonymous electors wishing to vote in person in relevant elections at the polling station or sign a
signing sheet at a signing place for a petition will need to produce an Anonymous Elector’s
Document as their photographic ID. This is a document containing an elector’s elector number and
photograph produced by your local Electoral Registration Officer, following verification of an
individual’s identity. Anonymous electors cannot use other forms of photographic ID. Anonymous
electors will still also be required to produce their poll card when voting in person or signing a
petition.
For more info, check this guidance issued by the Electoral Commission to Electoral Registration Officers.
You can register to vote at any time! However, your application to register is not processed
immediately, so it is best to do it as soon as possible in advance of any upcoming elections. The
exact date for the voter registration deadline in any particular election will be advertised in
advance, but typically the deadline is around two weeks before election day.
Applications for Voter Authority Certificates or Anonymous Elector’s Documents can also be made
at any time. The deadline for applications for a particular election is 5pm, 6 working days before
polling day.
To find out more info, including how your application will be determined, check this ElectoralCommission guidance issued to Electoral Registration Officers.
Yes! Once registered to vote, you can vote in person at a polling station, on election day; vote by
post (if you are not around on election day, for e.g. if you are on holiday); or vote by proxy (which
means asking someone else you trust to cast your vote for you, for e.g. if you are ill). To vote by
proxy or by post you need to complete additional application forms in advance of election day and
send them to your local council electoral services. These forms and further information can be
found on the website of the Electoral Commission at https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/apply-vote-post and https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/apply-vote-proxy.
You can find the details of your borough electoral services at https://www.gov.uk/contact-electoral-registration-office .
Every year, the GLA creates digital and print resources in the most widely spoken London community languages. You can find them on the GLA Democracy Hub at https://registertovote.london/. There you can also find resources for Deaf and disabled Londoners.
The Electoral Commission also produces its own UK -wide information materials which you can
access at https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/.
If you are registered to vote in person, a polling card will be sent to your registered address before
election day. This card will include the address of your assigned polling station - you can only vote
at that polling station and it will most likely be a local public building such as a school, faith or
community centre. It will be open between 7am and 10pm on election day. Don’t worry if you lose
your polling card – you don’t need it to vote and you can also find your polling station by entering
your postcode at https://wheredoivote.co.uk/
All materials and activity relating to the GLA - coordinated Voter ID public awareness campaign is
completely impartial and non-party political. Neither the GLA, nor Shout Out UK, can be perceived
to support any political party or candidate and, as such, we do not share opinions on how people
should cast their vote. One of the exciting things about registering to vote and making sure you
have the right photo ID to be able to vote includes learning about your potential local or national
representatives and deciding who you want to mandate to represent your interests. Do your own
research at https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/ and make up your own mind, but remember, your vote is your voice and your voice matters! #NoVoteNoVoice