New UK Government requirements mean that people must show photo ID, when voting at a polling station, in the upcoming local parish elections on May 4.

Acceptable forms of identification are:

• Passport
• Driving licence
• Blue Badge
• Identity card with PASS mark
• Certain concessionary travel cards
• Biometric immigration document
• Defence identity card
• National identity card

Residents who do not have an accepted form of photo ID can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate at www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate.

They can also apply by completing a paper application form available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-a-voter-authority-certificate-by-post-if-youre-living-in-the-uk and returning it to the Electoral Registration Officer, Market Hall, Market Place, Whitehaven, CA28 7JG.

Residents can find out more about applying for a free voter ID at www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID(link is external)

The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate for the local elections in England is 5pm on Tuesday, April 25.

To vote in the upcoming elections, residents must be registered to vote by Monday, April 17.

To vote by proxy (allowing someone to vote on your behalf) the person acting as proxy will need to show their own photo ID to be able to cast a vote on someone’s behalf.

Residents do not need to provide photo ID to vote by post.

To find out more and apply to vote by post or proxy visit www.copeland.gov.uk/postal-and-proxy-voting.