Advice for trans people | voter ID

For trans and gender nonconforming people, the introduction of photo Voter ID may present barriers to participating in elections.  

Here we explain exactly what the Elections Act (2022) means for trans and non-binary people to support with overcoming those barriers and how to make sure you can cast your vote in upcoming elections. 

What the new law says: 

The Elections Act (2022) requirement to bring an accepted form of photo Voter ID to vote in person apply in all future elections. ,The legislation makes it compulsory for anyone casting a ballot at a polling station to provide an accepted form of photo ID to prove who they are. 

It’s important to plan ahead to make sure that you can vote in future elections. 

You won't be allowed to cast your vote if: 

• You aren’t able to show an accepted photo ID when voting in person 

• The photo on your ID is not recognisable as you, and the officer at the polling station is unable to confirm your identity.  

• If your name or appearance,  are different to the photo ID you’re using, this could mean that you will not be issued  a ballot paper.  

Photo ID checks at the polling station will be looking to confirm that the name on your photo ID is the same as your name on the electoral register. Staff will not be checking the gender marker, address or nationality on your ID. 

The name on your photo ID should be the same name that you used to register to vote. You do not need to show a photo ID that includes a gender marker. 

If you don’t have photo ID, feel worried about using an existing form of photo ID which has a gender marker, or aren’t sure if you still look like the photo on your ID, you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate at https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate. A Voter Authority Certificate does not have a gender marker. 

Do I need a new photo ID to vote? 

To vote in person, you may need to apply for a new accepted form of photo Voter ID if you are no longer recognisable from your ID photo. 

You may want to consider applying for a new photo ID including the free Voter Authority Certificate if the below applies to you. 

• You’ve legally changed your name and the name on your photo ID is different to the name listed on the electoral register, i.e the name you used when you registered to vote, which is checked with your photo Voter ID at the polling station. 

• Your appearance, for whatever reason, is no longer recognisable from the photo on your photo Voter ID. .  

If your name is different on the electoral register to your photo ID, you can: 

• bring an official document with you as proof of the name change, for example a marriage certificate (as well as your photo ID) 

• you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate using the name that you are registered to vote with and a recent photo https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate 

• or you can contact your local electoral services team to change your name on the electoral register https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/your-election-information 

FFind out how to apply for all accepted forms of photo ID. The list includes notes for trans and gender non-conforming people such as  whether each form of photo ID displays a gender marker. 

You probably don’t need to get new photo ID if: 

• You are using a different name socially, but you haven’t legally changed your name 

• Your current photo ID is a recent picture of you and your gender expression / appearance hasn’t changed and you will be recognisable from your photo on polling day . 

Your right to privacy 

If for whatever reason you would rather present your identification to the officer at the polling station away from other people, you have the right to present it privately. 

Schedule 1 of the Elections Act (2022) makes this explicit: 

“The presiding officer or clerk must arrange for the voter to produce any document in a private area of the polling station if the voter so requests, and, in such a case, must ensure that no other persons witness the production except as permitted by the voter.” 

This means that you can ask to show your identification away from other voters and officers / clerks. 

No one apart from the presiding officer or clerk is allowed to check your photo ID without your express permission. This is also explicitly stated in Schedule 1 of the Elections Act (2022). This means that the person behind the desk at a polling station can’t pass around your photo ID to ask for a second opinion, or show it to anyone else: 

“No person other than the presiding officer or a clerk may inspect a document produced as proof of a voter’s identity, except as permitted by the voter.” 

If you would prefer not to show a photo ID at a polling station, you can apply to vote by post or by proxy. Photo ID isn’t required to apply or vote by post. It is not required when you apply for a proxy vote, but your proxy will be required to show their own accepted photo ID at the polling station, when they vote on your behalf. 

Click here For a more information on your rights when voting. 

 The Free Voter Authority Certificate 

Some people may find it easier  to apply for a new form of photo ID made specifically for elections called the free Voter Authority Certificate. It’s free, the application only requires basic information, and the document doesn’t include your gender, unlike many other forms of accepted photo ID like passports and driving licencses, which require you to supply additional documents like birth certificates. 

Find out more about the free Voter Authority Certificate, and where to apply. 

I’m mid-transition, when is the best time to get a new photo ID to vote? 

If you’re transitioning and in the process of legally changing your name, or having gender confirmation surgery, or significantly changing your gender expression, then you might decide to wait to get a new photo Voter ID so that your photo and other details are up to date. 

Note: as stated above, if you have proof of your legal name change, you can bring that proof with you to the polling station to show that and photo ID with your old name is valid. 

For trans and gender-nonconforming Londoners, the next time they may be able to vote are: 

• In 2026 for local council elections in London boroughs.  

• No later than August 2029 for a UK general election. 

• In 2028 for the next Mayor of London and London Assembly elections. 

Whichever comes first, give yourself ample time before these dates to register to vote, and acquire an accepted form of photo Voter ID.  

For advice on a case-by-case situation, you might want to contact the Electoral Commission helpline at 0800 328 0280 or your borough electoral services - you can find their contact details here. 

If you would prefer not to show a photo ID at a polling station, you can apply to vote by post or by proxy. Photo ID isn’t required to apply or vote by post. It is not required when you apply for a proxy vote, but your proxy will be required to show their own accepted photo ID at the polling station, when they vote on your behalf.