THERE are just five days left to register to vote in the July general election.

Britain will go to the polls on Thursday, July 4 after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called a general election outside Number 10 in May.

Eligible voters have until the deadline of 11.59pm on Tuesday, June 18 to get their application in to take part in the national vote.

A person can register if they will be 18 or over on the polling day and are a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen.

Registering to vote only takes five minutes, and can be done online with your name, address and National Insurance number.

Applications can be made online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

Since the election was called, nearly 1.5 million people have registered to vote.

But research by the Electoral Commission in 2022 found that nearly eight million people across the UK were not correctly registered. Young people, private renters and those who have recently moved house are less likely to be signed up.

Jackie Killeen, director of electoral administration at the Electoral Commission, said: “A general election is an important opportunity for people to express their views, and registering is the first step to the ballot box.

“It’s quick and simple to apply, and with only days until the deadline, time is of the essence.

“All voters must be registered before midnight on 18 June to take part, and those that plan to vote at a polling station need to check that they have an accepted form of ID in order to get their ballot paper.

“Complete those two tasks and you’ll be ready to cast your vote.”

Deadlines ahead of the general election are as follows:

  • Midnight on Tuesday, June 18 to register to vote 
  • 5pm on Wednesday, June 19 to apply for a postal vote
  • 5pm on Wednesday, June 26 to apply for a proxy vote
  • 5pm on Wednesday June 26 to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate  

More information for applying by a postal or proxy vote can be found on the Electoral Commission's website.

People voting at polling stations will need to show photographic ID. The commission is now calling on all voters to check now that they have an accepted form of ID ahead of polls. 

Accepted forms of photo ID includes:

  • A passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, and EEA State, or a Commonwealth country (including an Irish Passport Card)
  • A driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA State (this includes a provisional driving licence)
  • A Blue Badge
  • An Old Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government 
  • A Disabled Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government
  • A 60+ London Oyster Photocard funded by Transport for London
  • Freedom Pass 
  • A Scottish National Entitlement Card issued for the purpose of concessionary travel (including a 60+, disabled, or under 22s bus pass).
  • A 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
  • A Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
  • A Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
  • A Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
  • A War Disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
  • A 60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
  • A Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
  • An Identity Card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme Hologram (a PASS card)
  • A Biometric Immigration Document
  • A Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
  • A National Identity Card issued by an EEA State
  • An Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland 
  • A Voter Authority Certificate
  • An Anonymous Elector’s Document

You can still use a 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 register to vote.

If you do not have a valid ID, you can register for a free Voter Authority Certificate, using the same information required to register to vote, plus a photograph.

You can do this here: www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate. 

If you’re looking for information for your specific area, such as polling stations, who’s running in your city, you can find that here: www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/your-election-information.

Somerset will have seven parliamentary constituencies at this election after a series of boundary changes.

They are Bridgwater, Frome and East Somerset, Glastonbury and Somerton, Taunton and Wellington, Tiverton and Minehead, Wells and Mendip Hills and Yeovil.

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