Outspoken Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson has given his take on how to vote in the local elections with a special reminder about voter ID. The Ashfield MP produced a video for the Conservative Party on the practicalities of voting but could not resist takining a pop at Remoaner protester Steve Bray who he has challenged to a charity boxing match.
This year will be the first time that voters turning up at pill be required to produce a form of voter ID.
In his video Mr Anderson made sure that he had his passport ready but a list of other forms of ID are also available.
The accepted forms of ID include:
- Passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state or a Commonwealth country
- Driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state (this includes a provisional driving licence)
- A Blue Badge
- Older Person’s Bus Pass funded by the Government of the United Kingdom
- Disabled Person’s Bus Pass funded by the Government of the United Kingdom
- Oyster 60+ Card funded by the Government of the United Kingdom
- Freedom Pass
- Scottish National Entitlement Card
- 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
- Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
- Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- War Disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- 60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
Those who do not have one of these documents confirming identity can apply for a special Voter Authority Certificate but the deadline to apply for this passed yesterday on Tuesday April 25.
Sitting at his desk in his constituency office Mr Anderson joked that “Steve Bray could have done a better job with this video”.
But he also offered other tips to make sure people get to the polling station.
He said: “The important part is that on May 4 thousands of people, millions of people are going out to vote in the local elections and it is your chance to make that decision who runs your local council.
“So do not waste your vote, get out there on polling day and vote and don’t make the same mistakes that we made here today.”
Producing his passport he said: “Here’s my voter ID, do I really look like that?”
His next tip was for people to locate their nearest polling station, found on the polling card deliverd to people’s homes.
Then it was just about working out what time to go and vote.
Polling stations on Thursday May 4 open at 7am and close at 10pm.
Mr Anderson encouraged people to share their plans with him on how they would vote by going to planto.vote.com.
