Residents without accepted photo ID wishing to vote at the local elections on 4 May are being reminded to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.

Bath & North East Somerset Council is reminding those who are registered to vote at the polling station but do not have an accepted photo ID, to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate before the deadline at 5pm on Tuesday 25th April.

Voters who don’t have an accepted form of photo ID can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate online or by completing a paper form.

They can also apply for the certificate in person at the following council offices:

A passport, photocard driving licence, Blue Badge, Older Person’s Bus Pass (including Diamond Travelcard) or a Disabled Person’s Bus Pass are some of the documents that will be accepted as proof of identity when voters go to the polling station to vote in the local elections. If you have a form of accepted photo ID that is out of date, you can still use it if the photo still looks like you.

A full list of accepted forms of photo ID is available on the council website www.bathnes.gov.uk/voterid, but if you are not sure whether your photo ID will be accepted call 01225 477333.

To apply for the certificate, residents will need to provide a passport-style photo, full name, date of birth, the address at which they are registered to vote and their National Insurance number. If applying at a council office, staff will be able to take a photograph to accompany their application.

The deadline to apply for a certificate for the May election is 5pm, Tuesday 25th April.

Will Godfrey, Returning Officer for Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “Changes in national legislation mean that for the first time, voters will need to take photo ID with them when they vote in person at the polling stations. If you have any questions about voter ID or would like to request a paper form to apply for the Voter Authority Certificate, contact us on 01225 477333 or [email protected].”

Age UK BANES is also offering older people one-to-one support with applying online for voter ID. To find out more, call their Information and Advice team on 01225 466 135 or email them on [email protected].

Residents can also contact 01225 477333 or [email protected]  if they would like information about voter ID in large print, electronic braille or audio format.

More information about voter ID and the local elections on 4th May can be found on the council website.