I don't like to talk politics on here but I was talking to someone the other day about the upcoming election and they said they are not voting as they have no photo ID. I informed them that they could apply for photo ID to vote called a ‘Voter Authority Certificate! Don't let a lack of photo ID prevent you from exercising your right to vote. This upcoming general election is an important one. Even my brother who has never voted in his life is going to in this one!
A new law was brought in over the last couple of years that you need a photo ID to vote in any elections. For people like me who doesn't have a driving license or passport meant that I couldn't vote until I heard about the Voter Authority Certificate! I applied for one early last year which only took about 10 minutes online, the biggest chunk of my time was getting a passport style photo, just on my phone. It was easy and in less than a week I had the sheet of paper and the ability to vote!
The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate to vote in the UK Parliamentary general election is 5pm on Wednesday 26th June!
Here is how you can apply for a free voter ID certificate!
Check eligibility:
Ensure you are registered to vote.
Confirm that you don't have any of the accepted forms of photo ID.
Prepare your required information:
You need your National Insurance number. If you don’t have a National Insurance number, you can provide other proofs of identity, such as birth certificate, bank statement, utility bill, etc.
You also need a recent, digital passport style photograph. The photo needs to be of your head and shoulders, with your face uncovered. It needs to be clear and in focus, in colour, against a plain, light coloured background, your true likeness and with no photoshop or filters, just like a normal passport photo.
Application Methods:
Online Application:
Visit the official Government website.
Complete the online form with your personal details and upload your photo.
Paper Application:
Download and print the application form from the government website.
Fill out the form and attach a recent, passport style photograph.
Send the completed form to your local electoral registration office. The address can be found on the Electoral Commission website.
In-person Application:
Visit your local electoral registration office.
Fill out the application form and provide the necessary documentation.
The staff can assist you with taking and uploading your photograph if needed.
The free voter ID doesn't have an expiry date but they are expected to last roughly 10 years as you will need to continue to look like the photograph.
Are you ready to vote?
This is such a good idea. I feel like our voting here in the US is a mess, with lots of mail-in ballots where no id is checked.
ReplyDeleteGreat guide to getting a Voter Authority Certificate. I agree with Tanya, things are a bit of a mess here.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant idea
ReplyDeleteIt's a nuisance having to apply for things but it's definitely important if it means you can vote! We don't have to provide proof of ID over here and it surprises me. We just turn up at the polling stations, say our name and address then someone manually crosses it off a massive list. Seems old-fashioned but so far it seems to be working.
ReplyDelete