- Mar 27

How to Guide for Voting

Table of Contents

1 - What is voting?

2 - Who is eligible to vote for the forthcoming London Mayoral and London Assembly elections on 2nd May 2024 ?

3 - Who to vote for?

4 - Why vote?

5 - How to vote

6 - Photo ID requirement

7 - What to do if you do not have a Photo ID?

1 - What is voting?

• Voting is a method used by a group of people for the purpose of making a collective decision or expressing an opinion.

• In the UK, when people who are eligible to vote, choose a candidate. This is known as an ‘election’.

2 - Who is eligible to vote for the forthcoming London Mayoral and London Assembly elections on 2nd May 2024?

In order to vote, you must:

• be registered to vote

• be 18 or over on the day of the election (‘polling day’)

• be a British, Irish, qualifying Commonwealth or EU citizen

• be resident at an address in Greater London

• not be legally excluded from voting

Who can vote?

• Generally everyone over the age of 18, subject to their Nationality status, has the right to vote in elections!

• Eligibility to vote depends on the type and location for election.

NOTE: Disabled people have the right to vote as much as anyone else. Use your vote wisely.

3 - Who to vote for?

You have a choice of political parties as well as, sometimes, independent candidates you can vote for. Some of the political parties, for example are:

• The Conservative Party

• The Green Party

• The Labour Party

• The Liberal Democrats

• Reform UK

• The UK Independence Party.

NOTE: Each party has a range of policies which you can read about in their manifestos. A manifesto is a document which explains what each party intends to do if they are elected.

4 - Why vote?

• It is your right to vote and therefore influence the outcome of the election result.

• Voting is a way to make sure your opinion is heard!

• You are a constituent who is represented by people who are elected, so it is important to make sure who is representing you.

• Voting gives you a say on important issues that affect you.

• It gives you the choice to vote for your preferred representative – If you don’t vote, other people will get to choose who represents you.

• Elections may sometimes be called at short notice – if you do not register in time, you will not be able to vote!

• It is your right to vote and therefore influence the outcome of the election result.

• Voting is a way to make sure your opinion is heard!

• You are a constituent who is represented by people who are elected, so it is important to make sure who is representing you.

• Voting gives you a say on important issues that affect you.

• It gives you the choice to vote for your preferred representative – If you don’t vote, other people will get to choose who represents you.

• Elections may sometimes be called at short notice – if you do not register in time, you will not be able to vote!

Why it is important for Disabled people to vote:

• Disability issues are regularly discussed by the members of the main political parties.

• In 1995, the Disability Discrimination Act made it illegal to discriminate with respect to employment, services, education and transport based on someone’s impairment (health condition) - this came about as a result of pressure from voters as did other laws which protect peoples’’ rights.

• In 2010, the Equality Act came into legislation, by replacing the Disability Discrimination Act, making it illegal to discriminate on someone’s age, gender, partnership, belief, sexual orientation or impairment.

5 - How to vote

You can vote in person on the Election Day by going to your local ‘polling station’ generally open from 7am to 10pm. Other ways of voting are by post; online and proxy. See below details of all options:

How to register:

Online registration

• To register to vote, you can go online to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote or fill in a form.

• Completing an electoral registration paper form:

The form has 4 sections:

• Your name

• Your address

• Other information

• Declaration

How to post the form:

Find the address for your electoral services tram at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk. This will be found using your postcode. Once you have registered, you will be sent a poll card when there is an election.

How to vote in person:

• Voting in person will take place at a polling station.

• Before an election, you will be posted a poll card.

• The poll card will tell you where your polling station is. (Polling stations are often at churches, community centres and schools.)

How to vote by post:

• You have to apply for a postal vote forms which are available online or from your local council.

• You will be sent a form similar to the registration form.

• The postal vote application form should be filled out and sent to your local electoral services team.

• Before the elections begin, you will receive a ballot paper in the post.

• The ballot paper will have instructions on it telling you when to post it.

How to vote by proxy:

•Voting by proxy means choosing someone else who will vote for you.

• You will need to fill in a form stating who you have chosen to vote for you.

• This person can visit a polling station or apply for a postal vote in order to vote on your behalf.

NOTE: PLEASE REGISTER TO VOTE BY 16TH APRIL 2024.

6 - Photo ID requirement

This is a requirement for anyone who chooses to vote at a polling station.

You will need to show photo ID when voting in person or some UK referendums or elections. You’ll need one of the following types of photo ID to vote:

• a UK or Northern Ireland photocard driving licence (full or provisional)

• a driving licence issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Isle of Man or any of the Channel Islands

• a UK passport

• a passport issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or a Commonwealth country

• a Blue Badge

You can also use one of the following travel passes as photo ID

when you vote:

• an older person’s bus pass

• a Disabled person’s bus pass

• an Oyster 60+ card

• a Freedom Pass

More information - https://www.gov.uk/how-to-vote/photo-id-youll-need

7 - What to do if you do not have a Photo ID?

You will need to apply for photo ID to vote – this is known as a ‘Voter Authority Certificate.

You will need to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate if:

• You do not have accepted photo ID

• You no longer look like the photo on your ID

• The name on your photo ID is different to your name on the electoral register.

In order to apply, you will need:

• a recent, digital photo of yourself

• your National Insurance number.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO NOTE:

• You can still apply if you do not have a National Insurance. You will simply be required to provide other documents to prove your identity eg birth certificate, bank statement, utility bill.

You will need to apply by 5pm on the 24th April 2024 to get a Voter Authority Certificate for the elections which will take place on 2nd May 2024.