Croydon residents will head to the polls with the rest of London on Thursday 2 May to vote in the Mayor of London and Greater London Assembly elections.
To vote in the elections residents must be registered to vote by 11:59pm on Tuesday 16 April. The council is encouraging anyone not registered to vote at their current address to do so before the deadline.
The quickest way to register to vote is to apply online, it takes just five minutes and all you need is your National Insurance number. You must be 18 or over on polling day, and a British, Irish, Commonwealth or European Union citizen to vote in elections.
If you have recently moved home, changed your name or nationality, please check that you are registered and update your details.
Voters in England are now required to show photo ID at a polling station and will not be allowed to vote without it. To find out what photo ID is acceptable or to apply for a free voter ID certificate if you don’t have one, visit www.croydon.gov.uk/voterID.
Your vote is an opportunity to use your democratic right to influence local and national policies.
Anyone who wants to vote by post or via nominated proxy vote can now apply online. The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm Wednesday 17 April, and the deadline to apply for a proxy to vote on your behalf is 5pm Wednesday 24 April. If you choose to vote by proxy, the nominated person you choose to vote on your behalf will need to show their own photo ID to vote at a polling station.
If you are a UK citizen you can register to vote if you’re living abroad, but only to vote in UK parliamentary elections.
“Elections are a vital part of the democratic process; we want to make sure our residents can take part. If you are not already registered to vote, please visit our website to find out how to register – it’s quick and easy and you only have to do it once unless your details change.”
“The law has changed and now requires us all to show photo ID at polling stations in order to vote. I would encourage everyone to check you’ve got an acceptable form of ID and if you don’t, apply in good time for the free Voter Authority Certificate. With this being Croydon’s first election since the changes, please do remind your friends, family and neighbours not to forget their photo ID on 2 May.”
Katherine Kerswell, Returning Officer for Croydon Council
