VOTING UNDER WAY IN LOCAL ELECTIONS Voter ID Required for the first time
Voters in parts of England are heading to the polls to cast their ballots for councillors and mayors in this year’s local elections.
Elections are being held in 230 of England’s 317 councils, within district, borough, county borough and unitary authority councils, along with four mayoral elections in Bedford, Leicester, Mansfield and Middlesbrough. There are no local elections in Scotland or Wales, but voters in Northern Ireland will be able to have their say on 18 May, with 462 seats across 11 local councils up for grabs.
Polls opened at 7am and will close at 10pm, giving voters a 15-hour window to mark their ballots. But for the first time, people will be required to take ID with them to be eligible to vote, with examples including a driving licence, passport and older person’s bus pass.
However, travel passes for younger people, such as a young person’s railcard, will not be accepted.
