WIREDGOV

Voters have just hours left to register to vote for the local elections taking place across England on 7 May. Anyone who wants to take part must register before the deadline at 11.59pm tonight.

Registering takes minutes and can be done at gov.uk/register-to-vote (Opens in new window). 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. 

Niki Nixon, Director of Communications and External Affairs, said: 

“If you want to have your say in the local elections in England this May, you must be registered before midnight tonight. It takes minutes, and you can do it online now at gov.uk/register-to-vote (Opens in new window). Anyone not registered in time won’t be able to vote on 7 May. 

“If you want to vote by post or by proxy, you still have time to apply, but you’ll need to register to vote before the deadline tonight.”

Commission research shows that young people, students and those who have recently moved are less likely to be registered to vote.

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.

You’ll also need photo ID to vote at a polling station. Anyone who does not have one of the accepted forms of photo ID can apply for free voter ID online (Opens in new window) or by requesting a paper form from their local council.

Voter ID is required at the local and mayoral elections in England, but not at the Senedd and Scottish Parliament elections taking place on the same day.  

The Commission has spokespeople available to discuss voter registration and the voter ID requirement. 

For more information contact the Electoral Commission press office on 020 7271 0704, out of office hours 07789 920 414 or press@electoralcommission.org.uk 

Notes to Editors

• The Electoral Commission is the independent body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK. We work to promote public confidence in the democratic process and ensure its integrity by:
  • enabling the delivery of free and fair elections and referendums, focusing on the needs of electors and addressing the changing environment to ensure every vote remains secure and accessible
  • regulating political finance – taking proactive steps to increase transparency, ensure compliance and pursue breaches
  • using our expertise to make and advocate for changes to our democracy, aiming to improve fairness, transparency and efficiency
• The Commission was set up in 2000 and reports to the UK, Welsh and Scottish Parliaments.
• People can choose to vote in person, by post or by appointing someone they trust to vote in their place, known as a proxy vote. The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on 21 April, and for a proxy vote the deadline is 5pm on 28 April.
• To apply for free voter ID (Opens in new window) voters will need to provide a photo, full name, date of birth, the address at which they are registered to vote and their National Insurance number. The deadline to apply is 5pm on 28 April.
• More about the ID requirement and all voting options can be found on the Commission’s website.
• The Commission has produced a media guide on the 2026 local elections in England.