Voter ID requirements: Supporting people to vote in the 2023 English local elections  

Voter ID is to be introduced in 2023 for the local councils elections from 4 May 2023. This briefing includes information and links to resources to help councils reach people with a learning disability and autistic people and other groups of people who may face barriers to voting. This briefing is likely to be of interest to social care staff and providers.

LGA briefing: Voter ID – what you and your residents need to know.

• The UK Government has introduced a requirement for voters to show photo ID when voting at a polling station.
• This new requirement will apply for the first time at the local elections taking place in some areas of England on Thursday 4 May 2023.
• The requirement will apply to UK Parliament general elections from October 2023, and to UK Parliament by-elections and recall petitions from May 2023.
• The Electoral Commission has launched a public awareness campaign that includes resources to help reach older and disabled people and other groups of people facing barriers to voting. This is likely to be of interest to social care staff and providers.

• The Electoral Commission has launched a public awareness campaign on photographic voter identification at the May 2023 local elections.
• The Electoral Commission have also published a range of resources to support individuals and organisations in England to help them raise awareness, and support voters with applying for a Voter Authority Certificate, if they do not have approved identification.
• They have launched bespoke Voter ID resource packs for partners to use to help amplify messages to underrepresented groups.
• As part of these resources the Electoral Commission has published new easy-read and plain text format resources for people with a learning disability explaining the new election voter identification requirements as well as large print, braille, and British Sign Language formats.
• There are also packs for local authorities that can be co-branded with council logos.

• The Government has also launched the voter authority certification system (VAC).
• Voters without accepted forms of ID or whose ID is no longer recognisable can apply for a voter identification certificate, which can be used at the polling station.
• Voters need to be registered to vote to apply for a VAC.
• The deadline for applications for the May local elections is 5.00pm on Tuesday 25 April 2023 (six days before the poll).
• Up to 5.00pm on polling day the Electoral Returning Officer (ERO) can use discretion to print out a temporary VAC valid for one day if a person has applied before the deadline, but not received the VAC.
• Government will make an easy read about the VAC available shortly.
• If a voter’s photo ID, including a VAC, has been lost, stolen, destroyed or damaged beyond use after the VAC application deadline, the ERO will have the discretion to allow the voter to appoint an emergency proxy until 5pm on polling day. The proxy must have appropriate photo ID.

LGA resources

• LGA briefing: Voter ID – what you and your residents need to know
• LGA webinar presentations: Photographic voter ID webinar, 9 February 2023
• Partners in Care and Health case study: Upholding Human Rights: Promoting the vote for adults with learning disabilities

Other useful resources

• Electoral Commission Voter ID resources
• Electoral Commission easy read and plain text resources
• Electoral Commission’s wider Your Vote Week campaign resources for educators
• Sign up to the Electoral Commission Your Vote Week campaign to receive general resources
• Voter accessibility guidance: The Electoral Commission have now published their guidance for Returning Officers (ROs) to assisting disabled people to vote which will be in effect for the May 2023 polls.  ROs must have regard to this guidance.
• Learning Disability England resources
• My Vote My Voice is delivered by national disability charities United Response, Dimensions, Mencap and Ambitious about Autism. The campaign aims to get young people and adults, who are either autistic or have a learning disability, interested in politics, to register to vote, and ultimately to vote in the next General Election.
• London Councils resources about different campaigns
• Social work Promote the Vote campaign