WITH just a week left to register to vote for the local elections in England, the Electoral Commission is urging voters to register before the deadline at 11.59pm on Monday April 20.
Registering takes minutes and can be done online at gov.uk/register-to-vote. Voters need their name, address and National Insurance number.
A person can register to vote if they are aged 16 or over and are a British, Irish, qualifying EU citizen or qualifying Commonwealth citizen living in the UK. Only those aged 18 or over will be able to vote, but 16- and 17-year-olds can register as attainers.
Electoral Commission research shows that young people, students and those who have recently moved are less likely to be registered.
Niki Nixon, Director of Communications and External Affairs, said: “Only people registered to vote can have their say at the May elections on issues important to their local area. If this is your first time voting, or if your details have changed since you last voted, make sure you register.
“You’ll also need to take photo ID with you to the polling station. Anyone who does not have one of the accepted forms of photo ID can apply for free ID online or by requesting a paper form from their local council.”
Voters can use the postcode look-up tool on the Commission’s website to find out which elections are happening in their area and where to vote.
Anyone previously on the register who has recently moved home or whose details have changed will need to register to vote again.
