Who can vote in 2023 local elections?

With local elections rapidly approaching, different people across a variety of local areas will be looking to have their say in how they want their local authority to run.

However, there is a certain criterion that must be met for someone to be able to vote in the 2023 local elections which can change depending on your age and circumstances. It's important that you ensure that your are allowed to vote in the elections on May 4 as it will give you the opportunity to help decide who you want to represent you on a local level.

The 2023 local elections will see people across the UK vote in 231 different local authorities including district authorities, unitary authorities, and metropolitan districts. In Greater Manchester, hundreds of candidates will put themselves forward to win seats in one of the region's 10 local councils.

Here's everything you need to know about whether you could vote in the upcoming local election...

Who is allowed to vote in the 2023 local elections?

Ensure you're on the electoral register

The first and most important thing you must do before being able to vote is register yourself. While it doesn't take a lot of time to register yourself to vote, if you have not already done it you will not be able to vote in this year's local elections.

According to the Electoral Commission, hopeful voters in the UK had until 11.59pm on Monday, April 17 to register to vote.

It's important to note that you may need to register if your circumstances change, for example if you change address or your name.

Do you have a valid voter ID?

A new law being introduced across the UK means that you will need some form of eligible photo ID to be able to vote at polling stations during certain electiosn, including the 2023 local elections. Accepted forms of photo ID include:

Passport issued by the UK, any Channel Island, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state, or a Commonwealth country
Driving licence or provisional driving licence issued by the UK, any Channel Island, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state
Blue Badge

You can also apply for a free voter ID document (Voter Authority Certificate) which you can receive if you're registered to vote. Furthermore, if your photo ID is out of date, it can still be used as a valid ID for voting as long as the picture still looks like you and has the same name you used to register to vote.

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