A series of drop-in sessions are being organised in West Norfolk to explain new rules about voting at elections.
You now need to present photo ID in order to cast your vote.
If you don’t have it, you can apply to King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Council for a Voter Authority Certificate.
The  drop-in sessions will happen at the borough council offices in King’s Court in Chapel St, King’s Lynn:
every Tuesday, 2pm-5pm, and
every Wednesday 9am-12noon
from Tuesday 28 February to 25 April (which is the closing date for VAC applications). Further sessions are being arranged in Hunstanton and Downham Market, and full details of these will be released in the next fortnight.
The borough council’s chief executive, Lorraine Gore, explains: “The easiest way to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate is online and the process is quite straightforward – as long as you have internet access and a camera, you can do it.
“We know that not everyone has internet access so we are also arranging drop-in sessions, where we can complete the whole process for you. All you need to do is make sure you bring your National Insurance number or other documents that can prove your identity.
“However, don’t worry if you can’t do either of these. You can apply for a certificate by post, or alternative option is to apply for a postal vote, which does not require a photo at all.
“We’re doing everything we can to make sure that people can take part in the democratic process and we’re here to help every step of the way.”
Acceptable forms of photo ID include*:
UK-issued passport or driving licence
Bus pass
Blue badge
PASS proof of age card
*As long as the photo still looks like you and your name on the ID is the same as your name on the electoral register, it doesn’t matter if the ID is out of date. For a full list of acceptable photo ID, please visit: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/voter-id/accepted-forms-photo-id.
To apply for a Voter Authority Certificate online, visit: https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate. Applicants need their National Insurance number or other documents (which must be scanned in or uploaded), such as utility bill, council tax statement, birth certificate, and a passport-style photograph. Full details provided on the gov.uk website.
