IN a first for the United Kingdom, the York and North Yorkshire mayoral elections today (Thursday, May 2) will require voters to present ID at the polling station in order to cast their vote.

This will apply to all subsequent elections held in England, Scotland, and Wales, including general and council elections.

The valid forms of voter ID include:

  • 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 (including an Irish Passport Card)
  • 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
  • Local travel
  • Older Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government
  • Disabled Person’s Bus Pass funded by the UK Government
  • 60+ London Oyster Photocard funded by Transport for London
  • Freedom Pass
  • Scottish National Entitlement Card issued for the purpose of concessionary travel (including a 60+, disabled or under 22s bus pass)
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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 to vote, however this needs to be an original and not a photocopied version.

It does not matter if the ID has expired, providing it still looks like you.

The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate in order to vote in the elections has now passed. However, for those who have lost their ID (including this certificate), you are able to apply for an emergency proxy vote up until 5pm on polling day.

To vote in any election in the UK, you must be registered to vote – this can be done online or through a paper form presented to local council offices. In order to be able to vote, you must be over the age of 16, either a citizen of UK or Ireland, or a qualifying Commonwealth or EU citizen living in the UK.