Voters urged to be aware of rules ahead of General Election

Photo ID will be needed for the first time in a UK General Election.

Angus voters are being urged to make sure they are aware of the voting rules for the upcoming general election, with the registration deadline looming.

Advice Direct Scotland said people who are intending to cast a vote in the election on July 4 must register before midnight on Tuesday, June 18.It is also reminding those who will be out of the country that they can vote by post or proxy. They must also have registered to vote ahead of time, which they can do on the UK Government’s website.

Once someone is registered to vote, they can do so in person, cast a postal vote or assign a proxy voter to fill out a ballot on their behalf. Postal voting is usually suitable for those who will be away from home on the day of election, either elsewhere in the UK or abroad.

Those wishing vote by post can apply online on the Government’s website, or by filling in a postal form by 5pm on June 19. Those who would like to vote by proxy can apply online on the UK Government website, or by post by the deadline of 5pm on June 26.

For the first time at a general election, people voting at a polling station will need to show photo identification. A full list of acceptable ID is available on the Government website.Andrew Bartlett, ADS chief executive, said: “Rishi Sunak’s decision to call an election on July 4 has taken a lot of people by surprise, so it’s important that Scots are prepared and not caught out by voting rules.”

He added: “The key things for people to remember is that they have to be on the electoral register to cast a vote and will need to bring a suitable form of ID with them to the polling station.“Given that this is a summer election and takes place during the school holidays, thousands of people will also be abroad on polling day – but this doesn’t mean they can’t vote.“We would urge holidaymakers and members of the Tartan Army who will be in Germany for Euro 2024 to switch to a postal or proxy ballot, so they can still exercise their democratic rights.”