General Election voter ID guidelines defined – precisely what you should deliver
Rishi Sunak has called a general election after months of wild speculation.
Brits are in for a summer stroll to the polling station as the Prime Minister confirmed the 2024 vote will happen on July 4.
The announcement comes after the Tories refused to rule out a General Election amid frenzied rumours, with senior politicians like David Cameron and Grant Shapps being told to cancel their work plans abroad.
Downing Street fanned the rumour flames today as Mr Sunak’s press secretary told reporters in Westminster she was “not going to rule anything in or out”.
It’s the first General Election since Rishi Sunak took the hot seat in 2022 after Liz Truss‘ disaster run as PM. Since then, new laws on voter ID have come into force with specific rules on photo identification.
As the political parties gear up for the election, we look at everything you need to place your vote this summer.
What ID can I use to vote in the General Election?
If you are a British citizen, Irish and EU citizen, or eligible Commonwealth citizen you can vote if you are 18 or over and have registered to vote in your area. You will be required to show photograph identification to vote in the July election.
Only certain kinds of ID will be accepted at polling stations. Voters without the correct ID will be turned away.
You can use a 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 licences and provisional driving licences are also accepted as well as a Blue Badge.
Alternatively you can show an identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram, a biometric immigration document, Ministry of Defence Form 90, national identity card issued by an EEA state, Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland, Voter Authority Certificate, or an anonymous Elector’s Document.
Local travel cards including bus passes and Oyster cards will also be accepted. All forms of local travel ID which will be accepted include:
- 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
- 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
If your ID is out of date
The Electoral Commission states that you can still use your photo ID if it’s out of date, as long as it looks like you, plus the name on your ID should be the same name you used to register to vote.
If you don’t have an accepted form of ID
Anyone without the correct form of photo ID who wants to take part will need to apply for a special certificate. Similarily, if you no longer look like the photo on your ID or the name on your photo ID is different to the one on the electoral register, you will need to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.
You can apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate. You can apply if you don’t have an accepted form of ID, you’re unsure if your ID still looks like you, or you’re worried about using an existing form of ID for another reason.
For more information on how to apply for this see The Electoral Commission website.
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