- A passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or a British Overseas Territory
- A passport or passport card issued by an EEA state (Opens in new window), or a country whose citizens are Commonwealth citizens
The Elections Act 2022 came into effect in April 2022 and has made big changes to the way elections are run. One of the biggest changes is that you'll need to show ID (like a passport or driving licence) when you go to vote at a polling station.
You can find out more about the Elections Act 2022 on the Electoral Commission website.
You have to show an official form of photo identification (ID) when you arrive at a polling station to vote. The ID does not need to be in date, if the picture on the ID is still a likeness to you then it will be accepted.
The following photographic ID will be accepted:
Which forms of ID can I use to vote?
- 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
- 60+ London Oyster Photocard funded by Transport for London
- Freedom Pass
- a National Entitlement Card issued by a local authority in Scotland
- 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 Documents, including eVisas
- Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
- Ministry of Defence Form 100 (HM Armed Forces Veteran Card) (you can only use this ID at elections taking place on or after 1 May 2025)
- National identity card issued by an EEA state
- Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland
- Voter Authority Certificate
- Anonymous Elector's Document
If you do not have an official form of photo ID from the above list, you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate (VAC) here.
Absent voting
When applying for an absent vote, you now need to provide your National Insurance number (NINO) or proof of your identity if you do not have a NINO. You will also need to upload your signature.
Postal voting
Electors can now apply for a postal vote online at https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote
All existing postal voters need to reapply by 31 January 2026. Postal voters need to reapply every 3 years.
Political parties and campaigners are banned from handling postal votes.
Any completed postal vote not returned via Royal Mail must be accompanied by a return form. Any completed postal votes, which are hand delivered without the form being completed must be rejected.
If you're handing in postal votes, you will only be allowed to hand in a maximum of 5 plus your own.
Proxy voting
Electors can now apply for a proxy vote online at https://www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote
You can only act as a proxy for up to 4 people. Of these, the maximum number who can be 'domestic electors' (voters living in the UK) is 2.
Existing proxy voters had to reapply by 31 Jan 2024 or their absent vote was removed. Proxy voters need to reapply every 3 years.
Accessibility at polling stations
Voters with disabilities now have extra support at polling stations.
Anyone over the age of 18 can accompany a disabled voter at a polling station.
Rights of EU citizens
From Tuesday 7 May 2024, EU citizens will no longer automatically be entitled to register, vote, or stand for election.
These changes will apply to:
- all local elections and referendums in England
- elections for council and combined authority mayors
- Police and Crime Commissioner elections
Two groups of EU citizens will keep these rights: 'qualifying EU citizens' and 'EU citizens with retained rights'.
Qualifying EU citizens
These are EU citizens who:
- come from countries which have reciprocal agreements with the UK
and - who have 'leave to remain' in the UK, or who do not need 'leave to remain' in the UK
Currently this means citizens from Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, and Spain.
EU citizens with retained rights
These are EU citizens who were living in the UK before 1 January 2021 (in other words, before the UK left the EU).
Overseas electors
The 15-year limit on voting for British citizens living abroad has ended. Any British citizen previously registered to vote in the UK, or who previously lived in the UK, will be able to register to vote, regardless of how long they've lived abroad.
British citizens living abroad will be able to register to vote using the address where they were previously registered. If they were never registered to vote, they can register using the last UK address they lived at.
British citizens living abroad will no longer have to register as an overseas voter every year. Instead, they will have to register every 3 years.
First past the post
The voting system will be changed in all elections for:
- local authority (council) mayors in England
- combined authority mayors
- Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales
- the London mayor
The system will change from the 'supplementary vote system' to the 'simple majority voting system', also known as 'first past the post'.
What is the first past the post system?
In 'first past the post' voting, you only vote for one candidate, and the candidate with the most votes wins. They do not have to get a certain number of votes, they just have to get more than any other candidate.