Voters who wish to have their say in next month’s elections must have an approved form of photographic identification. On Thursday 2 May, voters will elect the Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner and the first ever executive Mayor of the East Midlands Combined County Authority.
The Elections Act 2022 introduced a legal requirement for voters to produce approved identification at polling stations. Presiding Officers and Poll Clerks at polling stations are not allowed to give ballot papers to people unless they produce a specified form of identification.
People who do not have one of the listed items of accepted ID, who no longer look like the photo on the ID, or who have different names on the electoral register and their ID, can apply for a free “Voter Recognition Certificate”.
The deadline for applying for a Voter Recognition Certificate is 5 pm this Wednesday (24 April). You can apply online at the gov.uk website: gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate.
The approved forms of voter identification are:
- Passport
(Issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state or a Commonwealth country (including an Irish Passport Card)) - Driving licence
(Issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state (this includes a provisional driving licence)) - A Blue Badge
- Older Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government
- Disabled Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government
- Oyster 60+ Card funded by the funded by the UK Government
- Freedom Pass
- Scottish National Entitlement Card issued for the purpose of concessionary travel (including a 60+, disabled or under 22s bus pass)
- 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
- Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
- Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- War Disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- 60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- Identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
- Biometric immigration document
- Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
- National identity card issued by an EEA state
- Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland
- Voter Authority Certificate
- Anonymous Elector’s Document
Ashfield Neighbour News will bring more updates on the elections as we approach 2 May.