The Elections Act 2022 was granted royal assent and passed into law on 28 April 2022, and this will bring significant changes to the way elections are run. One of the most significant changes is that you will need to show photographic identification (ID) when you attend a polling station to cast your vote.
This page is a summary of the changes:
Requirement to show photo ID at polling stations
You will have to show an official form of photographic ID when you attend a polling station to vote, such as a passport or driving license.
If you do not have an official form of photographic ID, you will be able to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate.
EU citizens' voting and candidacy rights
EU citizens will no longer automatically be entitled to register, vote or stand for election.
Two groups of EU citizens will retain their rights:
Qualifying EU citizens
- you’re a citizen of Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain who is resident in the UK, has permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or who does not need permission
EU citizens with retained rights
- you’re a citizen of any other EU country who on or before 31 December 2020 was legally resident in the UK, had permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or who did not need permission, and this has continued without a break
These changes will apply to:
- All local elections and referendums in England.
- Mayor of London and London Assembly elections.
Changes to postal and proxy voting
Absent voting allows you to vote in an election if you are unable to vote in person at the polling station on the day. For example, you might be on holiday or at work, or you might have a medical condition or disability which makes it difficult to attend the polling station.
There are two types of absent voting:
Postal voting - once a completed application has been submitted, a postal pack, which will include your ballot paper will be sent to you by post. You will be asked to complete your postal pack and return it in time to be included in the counting of votes.
Proxy voting - you can appoint someone you to trust to vote on your behalf. Once appointed they will vote at the polling station at which you would normally vote at.
You will have the option to apply for a postal vote via a new central government online system.
You will need to provide your national insurance number when applying for an absent vote, whether this is an online application or paper application.
Postal Voting
- Postal voters must reapply to vote by post every 3 years
- Political parties and campaigners will be banned from handling postal vote packs
- There will be a limit on the number of postal vote packs that a person can hand in at a polling station
Proxy Votes
- You will only be able to act as a proxy for up to 2 people living in the UK (or a maximum of 4 people, with 2 people living in the UK and 2 people registered as living overseas).
Accessibility at polling stations
Extra support will be provided to voters with disabilities when voting in person at a polling station.
A disabled voter can be accompanied by anyone over the age of 18 at a polling station.
Extended voting rights for British citizens living overseas
The 15-year limit on voting for British citizens living abroad will be removed. Any British citizens who were previously registered to vote in the UK, or who previously lived in the UK, will be able to register as an overseas elector.
British citizens living abroad will be required to re-register every 3 years.