Voter ID

Photo ID needed to vote

Residents of Wokingham Borough now need to show photographic ID to vote at elections. The requirement for Voter ID was introduced by the Government’s Elections Act 2022 and applies in England for all elections. If you arrive at a polling station without an accepted form of Voter ID, you will not be issued with a ballot paper.

What forms of ID are accepted?

Accepted forms of Voter ID include:

Passport
Certain concessionary travel cards, such as an older person’s bus pass or an Oyster 60+ card
Defence identity card
Full or provisional driving licence
Identity card with Proof of Age Standards Scheme (PASS) mark
Certain national identity cards
Blue badge
Biometric Immigration document
Voter Authority Certificate

The full list of accepted forms of Voter ID can be found on the Electoral Commission’s website.

I do not have an accepted form of Voter ID. How can I still vote?

If you do not have an accepted form of Voter ID available, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate (VAC.) A VAC is a free document which can be used as proof of your identity when voting. Please note that a VAC cannot be used as proof of identification for any other reason.

Apply for a VAC on the Gov.uk website, or contact the Electoral Services team for a paper application form.

Alternatively, you may request an appointment for a member of the Electoral Services team to assist you with submitting your VAC application on our online form. This appointment will take place at Shute End, Wokingham RG40 1BN.

When is the deadline for VAC applications?

VAC applications must be received by 5pm on the sixth working day before polling day. To check the application deadline for specific elections, please see our current elections page.

I am voting as proxy for another elector. Do I need to take my Voter ID or the Voter ID of the person I am voting as proxy for to the polling station?

If you are voting as proxy for another elector, you will need to take your own Voter ID to their polling station. You do not need the Voter ID of the person you are voting as proxy on behalf of.

For more information regarding proxy voting, please visit our proxy voting page.