Nominations for candidates start on 20th March. So you have about a month to decide if you want to stand. I was an independent candidate for the town council 4 years ago but didn’t get in. It was an interesting experience.
New for 2023 – you must show a photo ID when voting at a polling station. If people have not got a photo ID, they can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate by 25th April. It can be applied for online and needs a National Insurance Number and a digital photo. See https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/voter-id
The voter ID scheme was agreed upon by parliament last year. According to opendemocracy.net, between 995,000 and 3.5 million people do not have the required ID. It will affect some age groups, ethnic and gender groups more than others. Voter turnout in local elections is low in any case, and this could reduce it further.
The Government says that this is to stop voter fraud. There are more Tory MPs under investigation for misconduct than there were prosecutions for voter fraud at the last election.
I totally agree – the Voter ID scheme has been put in place to “solve” a problem that barely existed – yet it will mean that some people will arrive at a Polling Station without the required ID and be turned away; and Councils up and down the land are having to set up mechanisms to issue photo id to residents who do not have a passport nor a photo driving licence – at some considerable cost to us the Taxpayers/CouncilTax payers. Why this regulation has been put in place just baffles me – I just hope that a future Government removes it !
Or you can apply for a postal vote
Yes, and I can’t help but think that there is at least as much scope for fraud with postal votes as with voting in person😂