How Can We Prepare for the 2026 Local General Elections?

So, the Local General Election on Thursday 7th May is fast approaching and now is the time to make voting decisions. As in 2023, voters must show a photographic ID at the polling station. However, what should you do if you do not have a Photo ID?

A familiar sight in the UK.

The Electoral Commission reported that in the 2024 General Elections around 16,000 electors attempted to vote, but were unable to thanks to the need for Voter ID. Apparently accross the three May 2024 Local and Mayoral Elections, a staggering 42,368 voters were unable to vote due to the need for Voter ID.

The need for Photo ID mostly affected those who were disabled, unemployed and from black and minority ethnic communities .

No one should be denied the right to vote and thankfully there are ways to apply for Voter ID. However, time is running out, the deadline for registering to vote is Monday 20 April 2026. You can register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote, with your name, address, and National Insurance number.

You can register if aged 18 or over on polling day and are a British, Irish, or qualifying Commonwealth citizen. Another option is to vote by post (you still need to be registered to vote though), for which Photo ID is not required. Instructions for this can be found on https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote and the deadline is 5pm on Tuesday 21 April 2026.

If you do not have one of the accepted forms of Photo ID (a few examples include; UK passports, driving licenses, blue badges, older persons' and disabled persons' bus passes https://www.gov.uk/how-to-vote/photo-id-youll-need), you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate by going to https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate or by completing and submitting a paper form to your local council. The deadline for this is 5pm on 28 April 2026 which really isn't far away.

Like before, this is another important election. It is time for a change (especially in Great Yarmouth) and the best way to enact change is by being part of it and making a difference.

Obviously I am not going to tell you who I think you should vote for, but I can tell you that I will be voting for a party that cares about environmental issues, access to mental health support and protecting one of the best assets the UK has: the NHS which has helped so many of us.