County Durham residents are being urged to make sure they are ready to vote in future elections, ahead of a new requirement to show photo ID at polling stations.
Although there are currently no scheduled elections taking place across the county this
year, Durham County Council is reminding residents to check they have an accepted form
of ID in advance.
The need to show photo ID at the polling station is a new requirement, introduced by the
UK Government’s Elections Act, which comes into effect in May.
Accepted forms of photo ID include passports, driving licences and concessionary travel
passes, such as an older person’s bus pass. Voters will also be able to use expired ID if
they are still recognisable from the photograph.
John Hewitt, Durham County Council’s returning officer, said: “With the possibility of an
election taking place at any time, it is important that those who want to vote make sure
they have an accepted form of ID. It may seem early but checking now means you will be
ready to vote, should an election be called.
“Residents who do not have one of the accepted forms of identification can apply for free
ID either online or by completing a paper application form and sending this to our electoral
services team.”
Residents can contact the team for support in applying for the free ID at 03000 261 212 or
by emailing electoralservices@durham.gov.uk
A full list of accepted photo ID is available on the Electoral Commission’s website, along
with more information about the new requirement, at
www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID .
Anyone who does not have one of the accepted forms of photo identification can also
apply for free ID online at www.voter-authority-certificate.service.gov.uk/ or by completing
a paper form from Monday (16 January).
Anyone who wants to have their say in an election must also be registered to vote. It only
takes five minutes to register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote . Anyone wishing to
apply to their council for free ID should first make sure they are registered to vote.