NEW LONDON ELECTION SERIES OF THE STRONGER TOGETHER PODCAST! EPISODE 1 – VOTER REGISTRATION #YOURVOTEYOURVOICE
Today is the first of a new four-part London Election series of the Guild’s Stronger Together podcast featuring Maher Anjum from the Oitij-jo Collective. Together with the new Trades Guild CLT Director Len Maloney and EETG Director Krissie Nicolson, they talk about voter registration and how voting relates to our Manifesto for the New Economy! Hear about how we build our people power to support a healthier and more inclusive democracy. This first episode is just half an hour so you can tune in while you go for a walk, travel to work or do the dishes!
In the final week before the London Elections, we will share information about where the top three candidates for London Mayor stand on our proposals through members, their networks, customers, friends and neighbours as well as through our podcast, newsletter, website and social media.
BIG shout-out to wonderful Guild members Quaker Street Space particularly Mo and Ray who supported us in making this new series. Also to Gary from members Alternative London for the advice and guidance.
If you too want to be the change we want to see you can help by making sure you and everyone you know are registered to vote. Then to help our community to make an informed decision about who they vote for, you can also share the candidate’s responses to our manifesto proposals far and wide from the 25th April to polling day on 2nd May! Some key dates and information about Voter Registration:
THE DEADLINE TO REGISTER TO VOTE IS 11:59pm ON 16TH APRIL 2024
To register to vote online, takes just five minutes, you need your National Insurance number. Register to vote online now here! If you can’t register online, you can download a paper form. You can also access forms in 25 different languages here. If you have never voted before or if you moved house, you need to register to vote before midnight on 16th April.
PHOTO ID IS NOW A REQUIREMENT TO VOTE IN THE LONDON ELECTIONS ON 2ND MAY
Photo ID is now a requirement to vote at polling stations. Check if you have accepted Photo ID from the list below. Don’t worry if you haven’t got any accepted proof of identity, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate by asking someone you know to confirm your identity. This is known as an attestation. The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate is 5pm on 24th April.
Check from this list to see if you have the right ID already:
- a UK or Northern Ireland photocard driving licence (full or provisional)
- a driving licence issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Isle of Man or any of the Channel Islands
- a UK passport
- a passport issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or a Commonwealth country
- a PASS card (National Proof of Age Standards Scheme)
- a Blue Badge
- a biometric residence permit (BRP)
- a Defence Identity Card (MOD form 90)
- a national identity card issued by the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
- a Northern Ireland Electoral Identity Card
- a Voter Authority Certificate
- an Anonymous Elector’s Document
You can also use one of the following travel passes as photo ID when you vote:
- an older person’s bus pass
- a disabled person’s bus pass
- an Oyster 60+ card
- a Freedom Pass
- a Scottish National Entitlement Card (NEC)
- a 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
- a Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
- a Northern Ireland concessionary travel pass
The photo on your ID must look like you. You can still use your ID even if it has expired.
If you’re voting as someone’s proxy
You’ll need to take your own ID when you go to vote on someone else’s behalf. You do not need to take theirs.
If you’ve changed your name
The name on your ID must match your name on the electoral register. If it does not, you’ll need to either:
- register to vote again with your new details
- take a document with you to vote that proves you’ve changed your name (for example, a marriage certificate)
If you do not have accepted photo ID
If you do not have a type of photo ID that allows you to vote, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate. Information you will need to provide. If you can, when applying for a Voter Authority Certificate, you will need to provide your:
- name
- address
- date of birth
- National Insurance number
You should apply using the same name that you used to register to vote. You will not need to provide your gender, and your certificate will not have a gender marker. If you don’t know your National Insurance number or don’t have one You can find your National Insurance number on:
- payslips
- official letters about tax, pensions or benefits
You can still apply if you don’t know your National Insurance number, or don’t have one. You will need to provide other forms of proof of identity, such as a birth certificate, bank statement and a utility bill. If you don’t have any other accepted proof of identity, you can ask someone you know to confirm your identity. This is known as an attestation. Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate here.
GOING TO BE AWAY ON POLLING DAY ON 2ND MAY? YOU CAN APPLY TO VOTE BY POST BY 5PM 17TH APRIL OR APPLY FOR SOMEONE TO VOTE ON YOUR BEHALF (A PROXY) BY 5PM ON 24TH APRIL
You’ll need to apply by 5pm on 17 April 2024 to get a postal vote for the London Mayoral Elections on 2 May here. You’ll need to apply by 5pm on 24 April 2024 to vote by proxy. If you’ve never voted before, or have moved house you will need to register to vote first before the voter registration deadline on 16th April 11.59pm.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE?
To vote in the London Mayor and London Assembly elections you must:
- be registered to vote
- be 18 or over on the day of the election (‘polling day’) 2nd May
- be a British, Irish, qualifying Commonwealth or EU citizen
- be resident at an address in Greater London
The Mayor of London is elected using the First Past the Post system. You vote once for a candidate and the candidate with the most votes becomes mayor.
| People from these Qualifying Commonwealth Countries Living in the UK can Register and Vote and must Bring Valid ID on Polling Day 2nd May for London Elections | ||
| Antigua and Barbuda | Australia | The Bahamas |
| Bangladesh | Barbados | Belize |
| Botswana | Brunei Darussalam | Cameroon |
| Canada | Cyprus | Dominica |
| Fiji Islands | Gabon | Ghana |
| Grenada | Guyana | India |
| Jamaica | Kenya | Kingdom of Eswatini |
| Kiribati | Lesotho | Malawi |
| Malaysia | Maldives | Malta |
| Mauritius | Mozambique | Namibia |
| Nauru | New Zealand | Nigeria |
| Pakistan | Papua New Guinea | Rwanda |
| St Kitts & Nevis | St Lucia | St Vincent & The Grenadines |
| Samoa | Seychelles | Sierra Leone |
| Singapore | Solomon Islands | South Africa |
| Sri Lanka | The Gambia | Togo |
| Tonga | Trinidad and Tobago | Tuvalu |
| Uganda | United Republic of Tanzania | Vanuatu |
| Zambia | Zimbabwe | |
- Although also EU member states, citizens of Cyprus and Malta are eligible to be registered to vote in all elections held in the UK.
- Citizens of Fiji and Zimbabwe retain their voting rights despite the countries having been suspended from the Commonwealth
| People from the British Crown Dependencies Can Register and Vote in London and General Elections |
| Isle of Man |
| The Channel Islands (including Jersey, Guernsey, Sark, Alderney, Herm and the other inhabited Channel Islands) |
| People from British Overseas Territories Living in the UK can Register and Vote in London and General Elections. | ||
| Anguilla | Bermuda | British Antarctic Territory |
| British Indian Ocean Territory | British Virgin Islands | Cayman Islands |
| Falkland Islands | Gibraltar | Monserrat |
| Pitcairn Island | St Helena and dependencies (Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha) | South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands |
| Sovereign base areas on Cyprus | Turks and Caicos Islands | |
| Hong Kong |
| Former residents of Hong Kong who hold a British Overseas Territories, British Nationals (Overseas) or British Overseas passport qualify for registration. |