Ways to vote

How to vote 

  • Vote in person at your Polling Station.  When attending your polling station you must provide photographic evidence of your identity otherwise you will not be permitted to vote. A passport or photo driving licence are acceptable as evidence but other documents are allowed.  See below for further details or check out the frequently asked questions webpage 
  • Vote by post -  applications to vote by post should be made via the Government's portal at www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote
  • Vote by using a proxy, i.e. someone to vote for you - applications to use a proxy to vote for you should be made via the Government's portal at www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote
  • Proxy vote by posti.e., a proxy voter can apply to vote by post - applications to use a proxy to vote for you should be made via the Government's portal at www.gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote
  • Emergency Proxy form, i.e. if a voter cannot attend to vote at their polling station due to an unexpected specific reason just before an election.

To vote by post, you must already be a registered voter.  Not everyone on the electoral register can vote in every election. If unsure, please check with Electoral Services by telephoning 01353 665555. 

Voting in a polling station 

Electors will only be permitted to vote in their polling station if they show appropriate photographic evidence to the polling station staff.  Any elector not providing that evidence will not be issued with a ballot paper and will not be able to vote. However, an elector will be allowed to return to their polling station later with a permitted document and be allowed to vote. 

Any elector who does not have one of the permitted documents can apply to the Electoral Registration Officer to obtain a Voter Authority Certificate (PDF) (or Anonymous Elector’s Document). This should be applied for before the deadline of six working days before the election(s) to allow their application to be processed. Electors will only be allowed to be in possession of one Voter Authority Certificate at any one time.

The list of permitted documents is shown below: 

  • United Kingdom pass  
  • European Union Country passport  
  • Commonwealth Country passport 
  • UK driving licence 
  • Channel Island or Isle of Man driving licence 
  • European Union Country driving licence 
  • European Union Country identity card 
  • Biometric immigration document 
  • Chronically sick or disabled persons badge 
  • Citizen card 
  • My ID card 
  • NUS Totum ID card 
  • Validate UK card 
  • Young scot card 
  • One ID 4 U card 
  • Defence identity card 
  • Older person’s bus pass 
  • Disabled person’s bus pass 
  • Oyster 60+ card 
  • Freedom card 
  • Voter Authority Certificate Application form (PDF)