Deadline day to register to vote in May 7 elections

Anyone not yet registered to vote in the elections taking place in England, Scotland and Wales on May 7 has only a few hours left to apply.

The deadline to register is 11.59pm on Monday.

Applications can be submitted online at gov.uk/registertovote.

Elections are being held on May 7 to elect members of the Scottish Parliament and the Senedd in Wales, while some 5,013 council seats in England are up for grabs across 136 local authorities.

There are also contests to choose six local mayors.

Members of the Scottish Parliament and the Senedd were last elected in 2021, while this is the largest set of local elections in England for three years.

Some 42,827 applications to register to vote were submitted on Sunday April 19, the highest on a single day so far this year, Government figures show.

An average of 33,218 applications were made per day in the week to April 19, up from 23,255 the previous week and 21,426 a fortnight ago.

The contests on May 7 represent a crucial test at the ballot box for all political parties.

Elections for devolved parliaments, councils and mayors can reflect voters’ attitudes about their local area, such as when bins are collected, the state of parks and pavements, or the quality of schools and hospitals.

But they can also be a verdict on how parties and leaders are handling national issues – which this year could mean the cost of living, the economy and immigration, or even foreign affairs such as the wars in Iran and Ukraine.

Niki Nixon, director of communications and external affairs at the Electoral Commission, said: “Today is your final chance to register to vote for the local elections in England on May 7.

“The deadline is midnight tonight, and if you’ve moved home or changed your details in the past year, you’ll need to register again.

“It only takes five minutes, and you can do it online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.”

Rhydian Thomas, head of the Electoral Commission in Wales, added: “Time is running out to register in time for the Senedd election on May 7.

“If this is your first time voting, or if your details have changed since you last voted, make sure you register by midnight.

“The Senedd has powers to make laws for Wales on a range of areas including transport, healthcare, housing, education and the economy.

“Those who do not register to vote in time will miss their opportunity to make their voices heard on the issues that impact their daily lives.”

Along with Monday’s deadline to register to vote, there are a number of other key dates before polling day.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote for the elections is 5pm on Tuesday April 21.

Applications can be made online at gov.uk/apply-postal-vote.

All voters in England intending to cast a ballot in the elections on May 7 will not only need to be registered but also show a form of photo identification at the polling station.

Not all types of photo ID will be accepted, but a passport, driving licence or blue badge are valid.

Anyone without the correct identification will need to apply for a voter authority certificate by 5pm on Tuesday April 28, which can be done online at gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate.

Photo ID is not needed to vote in the elections for the Scottish Parliament or Senedd.

April 28 is also the deadline to apply for a proxy vote, to allow someone to vote at a polling station on your behalf.

Applications can be made online at gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote.

On election day, Thursday May 7, polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm.

Around a third of councils in England are due to declare results overnight.

Results for the Scottish Parliament, the Senedd and most councils in England will be declared during the following day, Friday May 8.

Final results from four councils will be declared on Saturday May 9.