Election Act 2022
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 changes:
Requirement to show Photo ID at Polling Stations
You are now required 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 can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate.
You can find out more information on the changes and how to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate at: Voter ID | Electoral Commission
Changes to Postal and Proxy Voting
You now have the option to apply for a postal vote via a new central government online system. Apply using the following links:
You need to provide photographic ID when applying for an absent vote, whether this is an online application or paper application.
Postal Voting - more information here
- 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 - more information here
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
More information on Accessibility at Polling Stations here
Changes that have taken place:
- 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.
More information on Overseas Voting Rights here
EU Citizens' Voting and Candidacy Rights (changes are expected to come into force May 2024)
More information on changes to EU Citizens Voting and Candidacy here
Changes you will see:
- EU citizens will no longer automatically be entitled to register, vote or stand for election.
- Two groups of EU citizens will retain their rights.
1. Qualifying EU Citizens
- These are citizens from countries with reciprocal agreements who have 'leave to remain' in the UK or who do not need 'leave to remain' in the UK. These are currently Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain.
2. EU Citizens with Retained Rights
- These are EU citizens who were living in the UK before 1 January 2021 (the date when the UK left the EU).
These changes will apply to:
- All local elections and referendums in England.
- Mayor of London and London Assembly elections.