There are just five days left to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate for voters who not have not got another accepted form of photo ID they can use in polling stations this May.
Anyone who needs the free ID is being urged to apply now, before the deadline of 5pm on Tuesday 25 April. People must be registered to vote before they apply.
Somerset Council’s Electoral Services team can take the photo needed for the certificate and help electors fill in the form – the service is available by calling 01823 358692 to make an appointment.
Photo ID will be required for the first time at polling stations in England when local elections take place on 4 May. This includes the area covered by the new Taunton Parish Council.
Applications for the Voter Authority Certificate can be submitted online at gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate or by completing a paper form and sending this to Somerset Council’s electoral services team. Voters will need to provide a photo, their full name, date of birth, the address at which they are registered to vote and their National Insurance number.
Those needing help with applying for the free ID or who want to request an application form, should contact the electoral services team on 01823 358692.
Photographic ID is essential for those voting in person at a polling station and a wide range of documents proving identity will be acceptable including a driving licence, passport, and an older person’s bus pass.
Voters will be able to use expired ID if they are still recognisable from the photo. The full list of accepted ID is available on the Electoral Commission’s website, along with more information and details of how to apply for the free ID, at electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID.
The Taunton-based council officially came into being on 1 April, the first parish-level council in Taunton for almost 50 years. Local voters now have the chance to elect 20 councillors, representing 14 wards, when polls open on Thursday 4 May at 7am. It is the only scheduled election taking place in Somerset in May.
More information about the new Taunton Parish Council and the forthcoming election is available here
