The government has brought in new legislation which requires voters to show either valid photo ID or a Voter Authority Certificate when voting at polling stations in some elections. The new rules will be in place in time for the Worthing local elections on 4 May.

Acceptable forms of photo ID include passports, driving licences, and older persons’ bus passes. The ID must be a good likeness, and will need to be taken with you to the polling station when you vote. 

Anyone who doesn’t have an accepted form of ID, or who is worried about taking important documents such as a passport to the polling station, can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.

But by the end of March, Worthing Borough Council had only received 117 applications for a Voter Authority Certificate, which is a free document that can be taken to the polling station on election day instead of a photo ID.

If you want to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate that will be ready in time to use in this year’s local elections, the deadline to apply is Tuesday 25 April before 5pm. 

Voters can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate online, or by filling out a paper application form to be submitted to the Council. The physical application forms can be requested from the Council’s Electoral Services team by post, or picked up from Worthing Town Hall. 

The Council will also be operating an ‘in person’ application service for those who want to apply. 

Residents must already be registered to vote to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.

To apply online, visit: https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate. 

For more information about the new legislation, and to see a complete list of accepted forms of ID, visit: https://www.adur-worthing.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/photographic-voter-id/