Do I need a photo ID and my polling card to vote in the elections?

Everyone voting in person in the local elections in England on 7 May will have to show valid photo ID.

However, people in Scotland and Wales will not need to show ID to vote in the Scottish Parliament or Senedd elections.

Voters do not need to take their polling card with them but it might speed up the process.

What voter ID can you use in the England local elections on 7 May?

You can use out-of-date photo ID as long as you look the same.

If you wear a face covering, such as a medical mask or a veil worn on religious grounds, you will be asked to remove it briefly so polling station staff can check that your ID looks like you.

What if you don't have an accepted form of ID?

Both they and their proxy - the person nominated to vote on their behalf - must already be registered to vote. The proxy must have correct ID.

For future elections, you can exchange a paper driving licence for a photocard, or apply for a photocard travel pass if you are aged 60 or over, disabled or registered blind or partially sighted.

Will I be turned away at the polling station if I don't have ID?

If you go to the polling station without the correct ID, you will be asked to come back with valid documentation.

If you think your ID has been wrongly rejected, the Electoral Commission - which oversees UK elections - says you should notify the presiding officer at the polling station.

If this does not resolve the issue, you can raise your concerns with your council's returning officer.

Polling station staff record how many voters are turned away, as well as the number who return with valid ID.

The Electoral Commission said 0.4% of those who tried to vote at a polling station in the May 2025 local elections were turned away due to the voter ID requirements. Of those initially turned away, 71% returned to vote later.

Why do voters need photo ID?

Voters in England and Northern Ireland also have to provide ID to vote in person in all other elections. Northern Ireland has required voter ID since 2002.

ID is not required to vote in person in Scottish Parliament and Senedd Cymru elections, nor for council elections in Scotland and Wales.

When the photo ID rules were expanded in May 2023, the government said it would stop votes being stolen, although that is quite unusual in the UK.

According to the Electoral Commission, there has been no evidence of large-scale electoral fraud in the past five years.

The Electoral Commission has called on the government to let voters cast their ballot without ID if another registered voter can vouch for their identity.

Do I need my polling card to vote?

If you are registered to vote, you will have been sent a polling card with your polling number and polling station details.

You do not need to take the polling card with you but it might speed up the process.

Polling stations are open between 07:00 BST and 22:00. You can vote after 22:00 as long as you were already in the queue at that point.