UK households given 1 week warning to reply to letter or lose election vote | UK | News
Households are being warned they must respond to letters inviting them to register to vote or face being turned away in upcoming local government elections.
Households in various council areas will be able to vote in the local council elections to be held on 7 May 2026. However, only those who have successfully registered to vote before the Monday, April 20 deadline will be able to vote.
A letter will be sent to those who are not yet registered in the voter registry asking them to register, and those who do not respond or do not register by April 20 will not be allowed to vote.
Similarly, those without a valid voter ID will not be able to vote, according to new rules that come into force in 2022 and mean voters must show photo ID to vote.
Those who do not have a driver’s license, passport or other valid form of identification can register for free voter ID, but must do so by April 28.
The deadline for mail ballot applications is April 21 at 5 p.m.
The Electoral Commission says in its online guidance: “You must register to vote in the local and mayoral elections on 7 May by Monday 20 April.
“You only need five minutes and your National Insurance number to register to vote online.
“If you cannot register online, you can download a paper form (Opens in new window).
“You don’t need to register to vote before every election.
“To vote, you must register at the address where you live. If you live at two addresses because you are a student or have a second home, you can register to vote at both addresses.”
