Overview
- Election authorities are urging checks on voter status, warning that students, young people and recent movers are most likely to be left off the roll.
- You must be on the electoral register by 11:59pm on Monday, April 20, 2026 to vote on May 7 in local government, Scottish Parliament, Senedd Cymru and mayoral contests in England.
- Photo ID is required to vote in person at local and mayoral elections in England, but it is not needed for the Senedd or Scottish Parliament elections, and free voter ID is available for those without an accepted document.
- Registering online takes about five minutes and usually asks for a National Insurance number, and overseas voters remain eligible but must renew their registration every three years.
- Postal and proxy voting are available for those who cannot get to a polling place, with application deadlines falling soon after the registration cutoff and details handled by local electoral offices.