Hackney residents have three weeks left to apply for free voter ID for May mayoral and councillor elections

Voters will go to the polls once again on 7 May. Photograph: Martin Deutsch

Voters have until 28 April to apply for free photo ID ahead of the mayoral and local ward councillor elections on Thursday 7 May 2026.

Anyone voting in person who does not have an accepted form of ID can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate now.

The deadline to apply is 5pm on Tuesday 28 April 2026. Applications can also be made through Hackney Council.

Other accepted forms of ID include passport, driving licence, or an older person’s or disabled person’s bus pass.

To apply for a Voter Authority Certificate, voters will need to provide a photo, their full name, date of birth, the address at which they are registered to vote, and their national insurance (NI) number. Applicants must be registered to vote before applying.

Jackie Killeen, director of electoral administration and regulation at the Electoral Commission, said: “The deadline to apply is fast approaching, so don’t delay.”

New research from the Electoral Commission shows 55 per cent of people are unaware they can get free voter ID from their local authority, and only 38 per cent of people without photo ID said they were confident in how to apply.

Who can vote?

You can vote in Hackney’s local elections if you are registered, live in Hackney, and are 18 or over by 7 May 2026.

The deadline to register to vote is 11:59pm on Monday 20 April 2026. You can register here.

What’s being decided?

Voters will elect the Mayor of Hackney and 57 ward councillors. The current mayor, Caroline Woodley, was elected in 2023.

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on election day. For more information, go to the Electoral Commission.