Just over a week is left for anyone who doesn’t have the photo ID required by new legislation to vote at a polling station, to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate. 

Applications must be received by 5pm on Tuesday 25 April.

Changes

Changes by the UK Government to the UK electoral system through The Elections Act, mean you will need to show an accepted form of photographic identification to vote at a polling station in the local elections on Thursday 4th May 2023.

If you are voting at a polling station on election day, Thursday 4th May 2023, you will need to show one form of photographic ID.. 

You can use any of the following:

• a passport
• a driving licence – including provisional license
• a Blue Badge
• an older person’s bus pass (it must state it is funded by the government – local travel passes cannot be used)
• a disabled person’s buss pass
• an identity card with Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) mark 
• a biometric immigration document
• a defence identity card
• certain national identity cards

You can find the full list of accepted forms of photo ID here.

Voter Authority Certificate

If you do not have photo ID from the accepted list above, you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate but applications must be received by 5pm on Tuesday 25 April.

 To apply you will need:

• a recent, digital photo of yourself
• your National Insurance number;

and you will need to be registered to vote. 

Apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate here.

You can register to vote here (deadline 4:59pm on Monday 17th April). 

If you are not able to apply online or would prefer to receive a paper application form, please contact Electoral Services on 0345 140 0845 or email electors@sefton.gov.uk

Deadline

The deadline for applications for Voter Authority Certificates is 5pm on Tuesday 25th April, but please apply as soon as possible if you do not already have an accepted from of photo ID. 

Postal Voters WON’T be affected by this change.

Postal Votes

If you don’t want to go to a polling station or would struggle to get to one on Thursday 4th May, you can vote by post.

You can apply for postal vote because you’re away on holiday or because your work schedule means you can’t get to polling station.

You can also choose to vote by post simply because it would be more convenient for you.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote for the May 2023 elections is 5pm on Tuesday 18th April

Apply for a Postal Vote here.

Proxy Votes

If you can’t make it to a polling station and do not want to cast your vote by post, you can ask someone you trust to cast your vote for you.

This is called a proxy vote and the person casting your vote is often referred to as ‘your proxy.’

If you nominate a proxy, the person you choose to vote on your behalf will need to show their own photo ID to cast your vote. They will not need to show your ID.

The deadline to apply for a proxy vote for the May 2023 elections is 5pm on Tuesday 25th April.

Apply for a Proxy Vote here.

Visit the Sefton elections webpages.