You’ll need photo ID to vote in York council elections this year
Residents are being reminded that they need photo ID to vote in local elections this year.
New laws mean anyone wanting to vote in the elections, including those for York and North Yorkshire councils, need an accepted form of ID.
The local elections take place on Thursday, 4 May, and this year include all City of York Council seats.
Accepted ID includes a passport, drivers’ licence and some concessionary travel passes, such as an older person’s bus pass. The full list is below.
If you do not have an accepted form of photo ID, you no longer look like the photo on your ID or the name on your photo ID is different to your name on the electoral register, you can apply for a free voter authority certificate online here.
Ian Floyd, chief operating officer and returning officer at City of York Council, said: “Anyone voting at a polling station on 4 May for the City of York Council local elections – including students and EU citizens – will need to show photo ID before they can be given their ballot paper.
“It’s important that everyone understands what types of ID they can use, and how to apply for free ID if they need it. It may seem early, but checking now means you will be ready to vote in May.”
You’ll need one of the following types of photo ID to vote:
- a UK or Northern Ireland photocard driving licence (full or provisional)
- a driving licence issued by the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Isle of Man or any of the Channel Islands
- a UK passport
- a passport issued by the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or a Commonwealth country
- a PASS card (National Proof of Age Standards Scheme)
- a Blue Badge
- a biometric residence permit (BRP)
- a Defence Identity Card (MOD form 90)
- a national identity card issued by the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
- a Northern Ireland Electoral Identity Card
- a Voter Authority Certificate
- an Anonymous Elector’s Document
You can also use one of the following travel passes as photo ID when you vote:
One way of stopping Labour, Greens or Lid Dems getting voted in. If the UK had accepted and introduced ID cards years ago this would not be an issue along with benefit fraud, crime and many other issues. Just glad I went postal voting to avoid the polling station years ago. Unpleasant staff, the meet and greet from the political entourage outside, all well worth avoiding.