#YourVoteMatters – make sure you can have your say

Voting in this election is an important way for you to affect some of the local issues that matter most to you, as you are selecting the people who set council policies, determine the council’s budgets and raise neighbourhood issues.

If you are someone who likes to vote at a polling station on election day, the government has made a change to rules which means you will now need to show photo ID from an approved list.

Louise Rawsthorne, returning officer said:

“It’s incredibly important that everyone who wants to vote gets to do so, and for those who want to do that in-person at a polling station the new requirement to show photo ID is a significant change we want to make sure everyone is aware of.

“If you don’t have photo ID from the government’s approved list, such as a passport or drivers licence, you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate, which must be done by 5pm Tuesday 25 April.”

Here is what you need to know to have your say this May!

Make sure you are registered

You normally only need to register to vote once. If you have not done this before or changed your name, address or nationality, you will need to register to vote before Monday 17 April at 11:59pm.

You will then be able to vote:

• By post – the rules have not changed (you do not need photo ID)
• By proxy - which means if you have a good reason, someone else can vote on your behalf
• In a polling station on Thursday 4 May – you will now need photo ID.

Voting by post

If you voted by post in the previous elections, you can do so again and don’t need to do anything, unless you have moved house or changed your name.

If you want to apply for a postal vote for the first time, or your details have changed, the deadline is 5pm Tuesday 18 April. You can apply on the Electoral Commission’s website.

Voting in a polling station on 4 May

To vote in a polling station, you will now need to show photo ID from a government approved list, such as certain passports or a driving licence. See the full list of accepted ID on the Electoral Commission’s website.

If you do not have photo ID

You can apply for a free Voter ID certificate, on the government’s website. The deadline is Tuesday 25 April, 5pm.

Students

If you are a student, living away from home and eligible to vote in the UK, did you know you can register to vote at both your home address and term-time address –providing they are not the same town/city – in a local election?

You will need to be registered wherever you wish to vote.

www.norwich.gov.uk/StudentVote

The count

The count will take place on Friday 5 May and the results will be posted on the city council’s website and on Twitter throughout the day.

#NorwichElection23