voting

Page last updated:
20 Sep 2023

Everyone is responsible for registering themselves; registering to vote is quick, easy and secure.

You’ll need to fill in your name, address, date of birth and a few other details including your National Insurance number, which can be found on your National Insurance card, or in official paperwork such as payslips, or letters about benefits or tax credits.

You can register both your University address and your home address on the electoral roll at the same time, which means you can choose either location to cast your vote in a General Election. It is important to note that you can't vote twice in a General Election as you would be committing a criminal offence. However, you can vote in local government elections at home and at your term-time address if both are registered and as long as they are in different local government areas. Register to vote at:  www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

Voter ID

From 4 May 2023 onwards, all voters are required to show photographic identification (photo ID) at polling stations before they are given a ballot paper. You are not required to provide photo ID for postal voting.

Acceptable forms of photo ID include:

  • Passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state or a Commonwealth country
  • Driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or an EEA state

You will only need to show one form of photo ID and it needs to be the original version and not a photocopy. You can still use your photo ID if it's out of date, as long as it looks like you and the name on your ID is the same name you used to register to vote.  A full list of acceptable forms of photo ID can be found here.

If you don't have an accepted form of photo ID you can apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate bur remember you need to register to vote before applying for a Voter Authority Certificate.

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