Elections 2024 and Voter ID
You may remember that in 2023, the UK Government introduced the requirement for Voter ID when voting at local elections.
This year there are two elections taking place – local (Sandwell) elections and the West Midlands Mayoral election.
Registering to vote
Your name must be on the electoral register if you want to vote in an election. If you’ve moved house since you last voted, you must register at your new address. You can also update your name or nationality by registering again with your new details.
You will need your National Insurance number and your date of birth – it only takes five minutes. The deadline to register to vote in time for the May 2024 elections is Tuesday 16 April 2024.
Voter ID
Voters are now required to show photo ID when voting at a polling station. This year will be the second year that voters will be required to show photo ID.
Last year, more than 1,000 voters applied for a free Voter Authority Certificate because they didn’t have any photo ID that would be accepted. Although many people applied last year, there will be voters this year who will need to be aware of the requirement to show photo ID and those who also need to apply for some free ID.
What photo ID will be accepted at the polling station?
You can use any of the following:
· Passport
· A photo driving licence (this includes a provisional driving licence)
· A Blue Badge
· Older Person’s Bus Pass
· Disabled Person’s Bus Pass
· Freedom Pass
· Identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
· Biometric immigration document
· Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
· National identity card issued by an EEA state
· Some other documents detailed on the Electoral Commission website.
If you apply to get free photo ID to vote in a polling station, you must also be registered to vote. If the name on your polling card is different to the name on your photo ID (for example, because you have changed your name through marriage or divorce) you may need to provide evidence of this at the polling station.
Apply for free Voter ID if you need it – deadline Wednesday 24 April at 5pm
Anyone who does not have photo ID can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate to show at a polling station.
Apply now on the council website – www.sandwell.gov.uk/voterID or go into any Sandwell Library or Sandwell Council House in Oldbury if you need help with your application.
Changes to postal and proxy votes
You can now apply online to vote by post and for some types of proxy vote.
The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on Wednesday 17 April. The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is 5pm on Wednesday 24 April.
You also need to prove your identity when applying, by providing your National Insurance number.
Go to www.sandwell.gov.uk/postalvote or www.sandwell.gov.uk/proxyvote to apply.
You can only act as a proxy for two people living in the UK and two overseas – four in total. Two must be in the UK. These changes apply to all UK elections.
Changes to handing in postal votes
Your postal vote must be returned by 10pm on polling day. We encourage you to return your postal vote to us in the post.
If you don’t return your vote by post, there are important changes to be aware of regarding how many postal votes one person can hand in.
Changes to the law mean that if you are handing in postal votes at a polling station or at Sandwell Council House, you will have to fill in a form.
You will also not be able to hand in more than five postal voting packs from other people (handing in five plus your own postal vote is permitted). It’s important you are aware of this if you are unable to return your postal vote in the post.
You must not place postal votes in the post box at the Council House, as these can no longer be accepted.
Find out more about postal votes at www.sandwell.gov.uk/postalvote
Translated materials
We will have printed materials translated into community languages available in the coming weeks. The Electoral Commission have also produced some translated materials These materials can be found on our website
Accessibility at polling stations
We’re doing everything we can to make our polling stations accessible. Anyone who has a disability can now take someone with them into the polling station to help them to vote. The person helping you must be aged 18 or over. We’ll have the following equipment at our polling stations to make voting easier:
Find out more about accessibility at polling stations – www.sandwell.gov.uk/accessiblepollingstations