General Election voter ID reminder
Residents preparing to vote in next month's General Election are reminded that they now need to show photo ID when voting in person.
Published: 3 June 2024
The new legal requirement means that an original version of accepted ID must be produced before being allowed to vote at polling places on Thursday 4 July.
If a voter turns up at a polling station with no accepted photo ID, they will not be issued with a ballot paper and will need to return with an accepted form of photo ID.
Accepted forms of ID include a passport, driving licence (including provisional), Scottish National Entitlement Card, Blue Badge, Identity Card with PASS mark, biometric immigration document, defence identity card, and some national identity cards. You can still use your photo ID if it's out of date, as long as it looks like you.
Find a full list of accepted ID (opens new window).
East Renfrewshire's Returning Officer, Steven Quinn, said: 'It's important that residents planning to vote in person at the General Election remember to take voter ID with them when they head to the polling station. If you don't have an accepted form of ID, then we can't issue you with a ballot paper. And with the General Election date on July 4, I'd also encourage any residents who know they will be away to register for a postal or proxy vote to ensure they are still able to cast their vote.'
Voters can apply for free voter ID online (opens new window) before the deadline of Wednesday 26 June. A paper form can also be completed and sent to the local Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), the Renfrewshire Valuation Joint Board (opens new window). Voters will need to provide a photograph, their date of birth and National Insurance number as part of the application.
In another change since the last General Election, the traditional poll card which was historically an A5 piece of card is now an A4 letter enclosed in a clearly marked envelope. It remains the case that your poll letter is not required to vote and it cannot be used as voter ID.
The General Election is being held on Thursday 4 July 2024, where voters will make their choice on which candidate they wish to represent the East Renfrewshire constituency within the UK Parliament.
The deadline for registering to vote is Tuesday 18 June and residents who cannot make it to their polling station on election day are reminded that they can appoint a proxy up until Wednesday 26 June at 5pm, which allows someone else to vote on your behalf. Applications for postal votes and postal proxy votes can be made up until Wednesday 19 June.
