Local elections 2026: How to register to vote with deadline just hours away
Voters in England, Scotland and Wales have just hours left to register for the May 7 election, with the deadline for applications set for 11.59pm tonight.
They must act quickly to ensure that those who have not yet registered have the right to vote.
The polls will elect members of the Scottish Parliament and the Senedd in Wales. In England, 5,013 key council seats are being contested across 136 local authorities, as well as six local mayoral elections.
This marks the UK’s biggest local election cycle in three years, complementing the 2021 parliamentary elections in Scotland and Wales.
Applications can be made online at gov.uk/registertovote. Government figures reveal a significant increase; Sunday, April 19 saw 42,827 applications; this was the highest single-day total this year.
Average daily claims in the week to April 19 also rose sharply to 33,218, from 23,255 the previous week.
The elections on May 7 are an important ballot box test for all political parties.
Elections for devolved parliaments, councils and mayors may reflect voters’ attitudes about their local areas, such as when bins are collected, the state of parks and pavements, or the quality of schools and hospitals.
But they can also translate into a decision on how parties and leaders handle national issues; This could mean the cost of living this year, the economy and immigration, or even foreign affairs such as the wars in Iran and Ukraine.
As well as Monday’s deadline to register to vote, there are a number of other important dates ahead of polling day.
The application deadline to vote by mail in the elections is Tuesday, April 21 at 17:00.
Applications can be made online at gov.uk/apply-postal-vote.
All voters who want to vote in the May 7 elections in England will not only need to register, but will also need to show a photo ID at the ballot box.
No photo ID will be accepted, but a passport, driver’s license or blue badge is valid.
Anyone without proper identification will need to apply for a voter authorization by Tuesday, April 28 at 5 p.m. Application can be made online at gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate.
Photo ID is not required to vote in Scottish Parliament or Senedd elections.
April 28 is also the deadline to apply for proxy voting to allow someone to vote on your behalf at the ballot box.
Applications can be made online at gov.uk/apply-proxy-vote.
On election day, Thursday, May 7, the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Around a third of councils in England will announce results overnight.
Results for the Scottish Parliament, Senedd and most councils in England will be announced on Friday 8 May.
The final results of the four councils will be announced on Saturday, May 9.
