Guidance for Candidates and Agents at UK Parliamentary general elections in Northern Ireland

Who can vote at polling stations?

Most people choose to vote in person at their polling station. Any person on the polling station’s electoral register can vote at the polling station in a UK Parliamentary election, unless:

  • are a registered postal voter
  • they are a registered proxy voter and their proxy has already voted for them or has applied to vote on their behalf by post
  • they are not 18 years of age or older on polling day
  • they are a peer in the House of Lords
  • they are an EU citizen (except for citizens from the Republic of Ireland, Cyprus and Malta, who are entitled to vote at a UK Parliamentary election)

Electors will receive a poll card before the election telling them where and when they can vote. Electors do not need to take their poll card to the polling station in order to vote, unless they are registered anonymously due to a risk to their safety.

ID requirements

Voters at a polling station in Northern Ireland must provide one of the following specified forms of ID before they can be issued with a ballot paper:

  • a UK, or Irish passport (including an Irish Passport Card)
  • a UK, Irish or EEA driving licence (photographic part)
  • a Translink 60+ Smartpass
  • a Translink Senior Smartpass
  • a Registered Blind Smartpass
  • a War Disablement Smartpass
  • an Electoral Identity Card
  • a Translink Half Fare SmartPass
  • a biometric immigration document

     

 

Last updated: 3 June 2024