Elections Act and Voter ID
The UK government is implementing significant changes to the current electoral system.
The Elections Act 2022 outlines several measures which will affect the way that you vote and how elections are conducted in Havering.
Arguably, the biggest change will be the requirement for electors to show photographic identification (such as a passport or drivers’ licence) when they vote at a polling station.
The following sections are a summary of the changes with further information due to be published throughout 2023 and this page will be updated when this occurs.
The first changes will come into force for those areas that will be holding scheduled elections on Thursday 4 May 2023.
Havering does not have scheduled polls on Thursday 4 May 2023, but any polls held after that date will have to comply with the new requirements.
You can find out more about the Elections Act 2022 by visiting the UK Government website.
Voter ID
All electors, who vote at a polling station, will be required to show an accepted form of photographic identification from Thursday 4 May 2023 before they receive a ballot paper and then cast their vote.
There are no exceptions to this requirement and will also include those who are registered as anonymous electors.
If you act as a proxy for an elector, you will also need to show ID but will not have to provide ID for the person you are acting as a proxy for.
The forms of ID you can use to vote
You may already have a form of photo ID that is acceptable.
You can use any of the following.
- Passport
- Driving licence (including provisional license)
- Blue Badge
- Certain concessionary travel cards
- Identity card with PASS mark (Proof of Age Standards Scheme)
- Biometric Immigration Document
- Defence identity card
- Certain national identity cards
The Electoral Commission has more information about which forms of photo ID will be accepted.
Important note on accepted ID
If you own an accepted form of photographic ID you do not need to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate (Voter ID).
If your photographic ID document has expired it can still be used, if the photograph is still a good likeness of you.
No suitable photo ID?
If you do not have any of the accepted photo ID, and you want to vote at the polling station, you will need to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.
This is a free photographic identification document specific for the purposes of voting.
Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate
Alternatively, you can complete a paper application form. If you need any help with applying for a Voter Authority Certificate or want to request an application form, email elections@havering.gov.uk or call Havering Election Services on 01708 432 444.
Voters who do not produce a Voter Authority Certificate, or valid identification will not be allowed to vote on the day.
Please note there are no elections due to be held in Havering in May 2023.
Accessibility at polling stations
The new law will make it easier for voters with disabilities to vote.
Changes will be in place from Thursday 4 May 2023.
Voters with disabilities will be given extra support at polling stations and proposals will allow anyone over the age of 18 to act as a companion for a voter with a disability.
Overseas electors
The 15 year limit on voting for British citizens living overseas is to end.
In future, any British citizen, who has been previously registered to vote in the UK or resident in the UK, will be able to apply to register to vote regardless of how long they have lived abroad.
The renewal period for overseas electors will change from 1 to 3 years.
We expect that these changes will take place by August 2023, but the precise dates are yet to be confirmed by government.
Changes to absent voting
Postal voting
If you are applying to vote by post, you will be asked to provide you national insurance number as part of your application.
This will be verified against government records.
This is an anti-fraud measure to protect the integrity of the postal voting system.
A new online application service has been set up.
The Maximum period you can have a postal vote for before having to reapply is up to 3 years.
If you hand in your postal vote at a polling station on the day of the election, you will only be allowed to hand in a maximum of six postal votes.
Political parties and campaigners will be prevented from handing in postal votes.
These changes came into force on the 31 October 2023.
Proxy voting
If you are applying to vote by proxy, you will be asked to provide you national insurance number as part of your application.
This will be verified against government records. This is an anti-fraud measure to protect the integrity of the proxy voting system.
A new online application service has been set up.
You will only be able to act as a proxy for a maximum of four people. Of these four, the maximum number who can be ‘domestic electors’ (voters living in the UK) is two.
These changes came into force on the 31 October 2023.
Changes to voting systems
From May 2023 the voting system, at the elections listed below, will be changing from a supplementary vote system to a simple majority voting system.
This is traditionally known as ‘first past the post’ where you vote for one candidate only and the candidate with the most votes will win.
Candidates will no longer have to secure a certain number of votes; they will just have to win more votes than any other candidate.
The voting system will be changed in all elections for:
- local authority (council) mayors in England
- combined authority mayors
- Police and Crime Commissioners in England and Wales
- the London Mayor
We expect that these changes will take place by August 2023, but the precise dates are yet to be confirmed by government.
Rights of EU citizens for voting and candidacy
Not all EU citizens will automatically be entitled to register, vote, or stand for election.
The exceptions are:
- qualifying EU citizens who come from countries which have reciprocal agreements with the UK (currently this is Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, and Spain)
- EU citizens with retained rights, who were living in the UK before 1 January 2021 (before the UK left the EU)
This change will apply to all local elections and referendums, all elections for council and combined authority mayors, and Police and Crime Commissioner elections.
These changes are expected to take place by spring 2024.