District and Parish Elections and Voter ID

District and Parish elections are due to take place on Thursday 4 May 2023. The deadline to register to vote in these elections is Monday 17 April 2023. If you are not already registered, you can register to vote on-line at https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Voter ID

The UK Government has passed a law that requires individuals who wish to vote in person, including those acting as a proxy on behalf of another individual, to produce an accepted form of photographic ID to prove their identity before they will be issued with a ballot paper at the polling station.

The accepted forms of photographic ID include:

A 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
A driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state
A biometric immigration document
An identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
A Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
A Blue Badge
A national identity card issued by an EEA state
An Older Person’s Bus Pass
A Disabled Person’s Bus Pass
An Oyster 60+ Card
A Freedom Pass.

Expired photographic identification documents can still be used as accepted photographic ID at the polling station, as long as the photograph is still a good likeness of the elector and the name matches the details held on the Register of Electors.

Where an elector does not have or does not wish to use one of the accepted forms of photographic ID, they can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate (VAC). This is a document containing an elector’s name and photograph which can be obtained free of charge from the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) at Dover District Council, following verification of the applicant’s identity.

Electors can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate in a number of ways:

Online at https://voter-authority-certificate.service.gov.uk

By providing the necessary information in writing (eg on a paper application form)

In person with the Electoral Services Team at the Council offices in Whitfield.

Voting by post or by proxy

If you cannot or do not wish to vote in person at a polling station, you can apply to vote by post or by proxy. Further information and application forms can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-a-postal-vote

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/proxy-voting-application-forms