Voter ID
Voters in polling stations are required to show photo ID before they are issued a ballot paper.
This includes any polling station electors or their proxies. A proxy would need to show their own photo ID, not that of the person they are voting for.
We have organised a local campaign to promote this alongside the national campaign managed by the Electoral Commission.
- A passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state or Commonwealth country
- A driving licence issued by the UK, any of 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 (PASS)
- Ministry of defence form 100 (HM Armed Forces Veteran Card)
- Ministry of defence form 90 (Defence identity card)
- A Blue Badge
- A national identity card issued by an EEA state
- An Older Person’s Bus Pass
- A Disabled Person’s Bus Pass
- An Oyster 60+ card
- A Freedom Pass
- A Scottish National Entitlement card issued in Scotland
- A 60 an over Welsh Concessionary card issued in Wales
- A disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary card issued in Wales
- A Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- A Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- A War Disablement SmartPass or War Disabled SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- A 60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- A Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- An Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland
- A Voter Authority Certificate or temporary Voter Authority Certificate
We can even accept ID that has expired, as long as the photo still looks like the voter!
If a voter doesn’t have any of the ID listed above, or they are worried that it doesn’t look like them anymore, they can apply for a voter authority certificate.
The deadline for voters to apply for this is 5pm on Tueday 28th April.
They must be registered to vote and must supply an up to date, clear photo of themselves.
Any applicants should ensure that they keep an eye out for any queries from the office regarding their application.
Voter authority certificates are approved by the city council but are issued by a government selected print company. We cannot control how quickly these are issued once approved and any voters that opt to collect their certificate from the council offices must wait for them to be delivered to us.
The easiest way for voters to apply is online but they can also complete a paper application or come into the civic centre to complete an application in person.
Officers in the elections and democratic services team as well as customer services are trained in both supporting voters with and authorising applications.
We have increased our staffing needs to accommodate for the increased workload of voter ID and all staff have received training in checking photo ID and dealing with elector queries.
A form of photo ID may be rejected if:
- it is not listed as an accepted form of ID
- polling station staff do not think that the voter is a true likeness to the ID
- polling station staff believe the ID to be a forgery
If a voter arrives at a polling station with ID that the presiding officer cannot accept, this will be explained to them and they will be offered the opportunity to return with another form of accepted ID.
Other details on the ID will not be checked by staff, e.g. if ID reflects the voters previous address or their ID does not reflect the gender that they identify as.
Polling stations will also be equipped with spaces for ID checks to be undertaken in private should voters wish to request this and with mirrors for putting face/head coverings back on.
Presiding officers will also be asked to record the number of staff that were turned away for not having ID, whether they returned and other useful detail related to voter ID.