Millions of people will head to polling stations on Thursday to vote in the 2022 local elections.
Although there won’t be polls everywhere, there is plenty at stake, from the make up of hundreds of councils to the composition of the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Whether it’s your first time voting or you just need to bring yourself back up to speed, here’s what you need to take with you wherever you are in the UK.
Do I need ID to vote in the UK?
You do not need to bring identification to vote at a polling station in England, Wales or Scotland.
However, you must take a photo ID to cast your ballot in Northern Ireland.
There are seven valid forms of identification, including the Electoral Identity Card, produced by the Electoral Office, which you can apply for either in person or by post.
If you don’t have one, the following documents are also accepted at polling stations as proof of identity:
- A UK, Irish or EEA driving licence (photographic part, provisional accepted)
- A UK, Irish or EU passport
- A Translink Senior SmartPass
- A Translink 60+ SmartPass
- A Translink War Disabled SmartPass
- A Translink Blind Person’s SmartPass
How do I vote in the local elections?
You do not need to take your poll card to the polling station in order to vote anywhere in the UK.
When you arrive, you need to tell the presiding officer or poll clerk your name and address (and show your ID in Northern Ireland) so that they can check if you’re on the electoral register.
You will be given a ballot paper (or more than one, if you are voting in multiple elections) listing the parties and candidates you can vote for.
Read these carefully and then cast your vote with one of the pencils provided (you can bring you own pen or pencil if you prefer), before folding your ballot paper in half and putting it into the ballot box.
If you make a mistake, you can ask for a new ballot paper (as long as you haven’t put it in the ballot box yet) – a member of staff will be able to help you.
Where is my polling station?
The location of your polling station will be included on the poll card sent to you in the post – it is likely to be a public building such as a school or community hall close to your address.
However, if you have misplaced or not received your card, you can check on the Electoral Commission website by entering your postcode here.
If that doesn’t have the details of your polling station, the website will have the local council contacts you need to double check.
Polling stations around the UK will be open from 7am until 10pm on Thursday 5 May – they tend to be busiest before school and after work.
However, you will be still be allowed to vote in the elections as long as you join the queue before closing time.
Where are elections taking place in the UK?
More than 4,350 seats will be contested in England on over 140 councils, with all of Scotland’s 32 councils and all 22 councils in Wales also holding elections.
In Northern Ireland, voters will be choosing 90 members of the Northern Ireland Assembly, where laws are scrutinised and passed.
If you are unsure about what’s going on in your local area and who will be standing for election, you can visit the online checker “Who Can I Vote For?”, created by the Democracy Club.
On 5 May people will go to the polls to vote for:
- Every local authority in Scotland, Wales and London
- South Yorkshire’s regional mayor, plus the borough councils of Barnsley and Sheffield
- 60 district councils, 31 Metropolitan boroughs and 19 unitary authorities across the rest of England
- County councils in North Yorkshire and Somerset
- All 90 seats in the Northern Ireland assembly
- Local mayors in Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Watford
There is also a referendum in Bristol on whether to keep or abolish the position of the city’s elected mayor.
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/do-i-need-id-to-vote-in-the-uk-local-election-2022-polling-station-voting-rules-and-how-its-different-in-ni/ar-AAWVlaE
