Local Elections 2026 - who can and can't vote, and what ID should I bring?

Local elections are set to take place across 136 counties and six mayoral authorities throughout England on May 7, and residents are currently preparing to cast their ballots. With millions of Londoners set to head to their designated polling stations to exercise their democratic right, it's important to check whether you have the correct ID and entitlement to vote in-person.

While the vast majority will be able to vote without difficulty - provided they possess valid Photo ID, are aged 18 and above on polling day and have registered to vote - volunteers at each polling station will be provided with a special list of codes to check whether each voter is entitled to cast their ballot in-person.

A Polling Station Handbook for Local Elections is distributed to polling station staff and contains unpublicised code letters that appear alongside certain people's names indicating whether they can or can't cast their vote, explains the Express.

According to the Electoral Commission, there are plenty of ID options that will be accepted at polling stations, with no specific voter ID document required. The full list includes:

According to the Electoral Commission, registered voters can apply for a free voter ID document (known as a Voter Authority Certificate) if:

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