Voter registrations rise as deadline arrives for local elections

Anyone not registered to vote in next month’s local elections in England has only a few hours left to apply, with signs of a late flurry of interest.

More than 8,000 council seats in England are up for grabs on May 4 across 230 local authorities, ranging from small rural areas to some of the largest towns and cities.

Polls are also taking place to choose mayors in Bedford, Leicester, Mansfield and Middlesbrough.

People who have not yet registered to vote, or are not sure if they are eligible, have until 11.59 pm on Monday April 17 to submit an application.

Voters will also need to make sure they have a form of photo identification to cast a ballot, which is compulsory in England for the first time.

An average of 19,361 applications per day to register to vote were made in the week of April 15, up from 16,668 in the previous week, Government figures show.

There were 16,751 applications on Saturday, although numbers are typically lower on a weekend.

Some 26,567 applications were made on Friday, the highest for a single day so far this year.

Ailsa Irvine, director of administration at the Electoral Commission, told the PA news agency: “Anyone that wants to take part in the May elections needs to be registered to vote by midnight tonight.

“If you haven’t registered before or have recently moved home or changed your details, you will need to apply to register today. It only takes five minutes and can be done online.

“If you want to make sure your voice is heard and you’re not already registered, go to www.gov.uk/registertovote and register now.

“Anyone that wants to apply for a postal vote must have their application into their local council by 5 pm tomorrow.”

Voters intending to cast a ballot in May’s elections will not only need to be registered but also show a form of photo identification at the polling station.

Not all types of photo ID will be accepted, but a passport, driving licence or blue badge are valid.