CW&C Document on New Voter Photo ID Requirments

The article published on 21st February provided some details of the requirement to provide photo ID at the elections on 4th May.

Cheshire West and Chester Council have now produced the following:

From 4th May 2023, people who wish to vote in person (including those acting as a proxy), will be required to produce an accepted form of photographic ID to prove their identity before they will be issued with a ballot paper.

This will apply to:
* Local elections
* Town and parish elections
* Neighbourhood planning referendums
* UK parliamentary elections (the requirement for voter ID to be provided at UK parliamentary elections will take effect for polls after 5 October 2023)
* Police and crime commissioner elections

There is currently no requirement for postal voters to provide photographic identification for the May 2023 election.

Accepted forms of photo ID

You can use any of the following accepted forms of photo ID when voting at a polling station.

International travel
Passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state or a Commonwealth country

Driving and parking

* Driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state

* A Blue Badge

Local travel

* Older Person's Bus Pass

* Disabled Person's Bus Pass

* Oyster 60+ Card

* Freedom Pass

* Scottish National Entitlement Card

* 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card

*  Disabled Person's Welsh Concessionary Travel Card

*  Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland

* Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person's SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland

* War Disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland

*  60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland

* Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland

Proof of age

* Identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)

Other government issued documents

* Biometric immigration document

* Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)

* National identity card issued by an EEA state

* Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland

* Voter Authority Certificate

* Anonymous Elector's Document

You will only need to show one form of photo ID. It needs to be the original version and not a photocopy.

Out of date photo ID
You can still use your photo ID if it's out of date, as long as it looks like you. The name on your ID should be the same name you used to register to vote.

A separate article will follow on what to do if you wish to vote and don't have an accepted form of photo ID.