You will need photo ID to vote in the local elections on 4 May 2023. Find out more about Voter ID and what you need to do.
Use the links below to find the information you need:
- Voter ID at local elections
- Register to vote
- Apply to vote by post
- Apply to vote by proxy
- Current elections
- Standing for election (prospective candidates)
- Election results
- Find my polling station
- Boundary reviews
- Register of Electors
- Electoral Registration Annual Canvass
- Referendums
- Temporary Jobs with Electoral Services
Voter ID
For the first time you will need to show photo ID to be able to vote in the Wychavon District Council and parish and town council elections being held on 4 May 2023. This follows a change in the law introduced by the UK government. If you do not bring photo ID with you to the polling station and produce it when asked, then you will not be able to cast your vote.
Watch our video guide below to find out more about the new photo ID requirement or read on for more information.
Which forms of photo ID can I use to vote?
You will only need to show one form of photo ID. It needs to be the original version and not a photocopy. You may already have a form of photo ID that is acceptable. You can use any of the following:
- Passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state or a Commonwealth country
- Photocard Driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state (this includes a provisional driving licence)
- A Blue Badge
- Older Person’s Bus Pass
- Disabled Person’s Bus Pass
- Identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
- Biometric immigration document
- Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
- National identity card issued by an EEA state
- Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland
- Voter Authority Certificate
- Anonymous Elector's Document
- Oyster 60+ Card
- Freedom Pass
- Scottish National Entitlement Card
- 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
- Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
- Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- War Disablement SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- 60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
- Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland.
Forms of photo ID not accepted
Only forms of photo ID on the list above will be accepted. Work issued photo ID cards (e.g by local government, police, NHS etc) and student cards without a PASS mark won't be accepted. If you are unsure if the form of photo ID you plan to use is valid then please contact our elections team by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 01386 565437.
Out of date photo ID
You can still use your photo ID if it's out of date, as long as it looks like you. The name on your ID should be the same name you used to register to vote.
What if I don’t have an accepted form of photo ID?
If you don’t already have an accepted form of photo ID, or you’re not sure whether your photo ID still looks like you, you can apply for a free voter ID document, known as a Voter Authority Certificate. The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate for May's local elections is 5pm on 25 April 2023. You must be registered to vote to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate. The deadline to register to vote for May's elections is Monday, 17 April 2023.
Apply for a free voter authority certificate on GOV.UK.
Applying for a Voter Authority Certificate online is the fastest way to get voter photo ID if you do not already have an accepted form of photo ID. If you cannot use the online system, then please visit our Customer Contact Centres in Evesham, Droitwich or Pershore and our customer service staff will be happy to help you.
Find out the opening times of Wychavon's Customer Contact Centres.
You can also call our elections team to request a paper application form by calling 01386 565437 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
When applying for a Voter Authority Certificate you will need to supply us with some basic details and a photograph. Watch our video guide below to see how to take your photo correctly.
Find out more about Voter ID
If you have any general questions about the introduction of Voter ID then please visit the Electoral Commission Voter ID page, or call their helpline on 0800 328 0280.
If you need help with applying for Voter ID or have a specific query about Voter ID and the Wychavon District Council, town and parish council elections on 4 May 2023, then call our elections team on 01386 565437 between 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday.
Register to vote
You can register to vote on the Government's website. This is the fastest way of registering.
Before you register you will need to know your national insurance number. If you do not have a national insurance number, or have lost it, please contact us.
Usually within three to six weeks of the Electoral Registration Officer receiving your application your name will be added to the Register of Electors as long as your details can be correctly verified.
We will write and confirm that your name has been added to the Register.
If you want to vote in this year's local elections being held in May, then you must register to vote by midnight on 17 April 2023.
Apply to vote by post
Voting by post allows you to vote at home without needing to visit a polling station. Before each election we will send your ballot paper to you in the post with a form to complete with your date of birth and signature.
Download the postal vote application form.
Please send your completed form to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Emailed forms will be received and processed faster. Alternatively, you can send your form via post to Electoral Services, Civic Centre, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Pershore, Worcestershire, WR10 1PT.
Apply to vote by proxy
If you cannot make it to a polling station on polling day then you can send someone else to vote on your behalf. This is called voting by proxy.
The person you nominate as your proxy must be registered to vote and will need to be able to show valid photo ID at the polling station.
You can apply to vote by proxy as a one-off for a particular election or for a permanent proxy vote if your circumstances mean you will have difficulty getting to a polling station long-term.
You can download proxy vote application forms on the Government's website.
The deadline to apply to vote by proxy is normally six working days before an election. However, in some circumstances emergency proxy voting is also available. Please contact us for more information and guidance about voting by Emergency Proxy.
Please send your completed form to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Emailed forms will be received and processed faster. Alternatively, you can send your form via post to Electoral Services, Civic Centre, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Pershore, Worcestershire, WR10 1PT.
Current elections
Wychavon full District and Parish Elections May 4 2023
The next scheduled elections in Wychavon District are the District and Parish Council elections on Thursday 4 May 2023. ALL Districts and ALL Parish Councils are being elected – this happens every 4 years.
pdf District Council Notice of Election (71 KB)
pdf Parish Councils A-D Notice of Election (70 KB)
pdf Parish Councils E-H Notice of Elections (71 KB)
pdf Parish Councils I-Z Notice of Elections (71 KB)
pdf Town Councils Notice of Elections (68 KB)
Standing for election (prospective candidates)
Standing for election to Wychavon District Council
If you’re interested in becoming a District Councillor, further information is available on our dedicated webpage. View how to become a Wychavon District Councillor webpage.
Information for district candidates is available from the Electoral Commission website.
document Download the Wychavon District Council nominations pack (87 KB) .
Standing for election to parish/town councils
If you’re interested in becoming a Parish/Town Councillor, further information is available on the Worcestershire CALC website. View how to become a District Councillor on the Worcestershire CALC webpage.
Information for Parish/Town candidates is available from the Electoral Commission website.
document Download the parish and town council nominations pack (79 KB) .
For further information about becoming a councillor and standing for election please contact Electoral Services on 01386 565437 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Contact Electoral Services for a full nomination pack and information about standing as a candidate at these elections. Nominations must be submitted by hand to the Returning Officer at the Committee Room, Civic Centre, Queen Elizabeth Drive, Pershore, WR10 1PT between 10am and 4pm on any working day (excluding bank holidays) from the publication of the Notice of Election on Tuesday 14 March 2023 until 4pm on Tuesday 4 April 2023. You do not need to make an appointment.
Casual vacancies
There are currently no casual vacancies.
Future elections
Parliamentary election (General Election)
An exact date for the next General Election, when you vote for a Member of Parliament, has not been set but it can take place no later than Thursday, January 23, 2025. This is because General Elections must be held five years apart. The Prime Minister has the power to call a General Election at any time before this date so the election could happen sooner.
Find out more about Parliamentary elections on the Parliament website.
Polling Station Maps
Search for your nearest polling station
(We have provided this link to another website solely to try and help you to find information. We are not responsible for the content of other websites, which are not controlled or endorsed by us.)
Boundary reviews
Wychavon electoral ward boundary review
The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) has carried out a review of Wychavon's electoral arrangements.
The commission has recommended the number of electoral wards in Wychavon should be reduced by five to 27 wards. The number of councillors will be cut from 45 to 43.
These arrangements will be used for the first time at the Wychavon District Council election on Thursday, 4 May 2023.
Find out more about the LGBCE electoral review of Wychavon.
Parliamentary Constituency Boundary Review
The Boundary Commission for England is reviewing Parliamentary constituencies across the country. These are used to elect MPs to Parliament at a General Election.
Changes have been proposed which will affect our district. Find out more about the Boundary Commission for England review of Parliamentary constituencies.
Register of Electors
Due to national legislation we are unable to publish the ‘Register of Electors' online. You can view a paper copy of the full register at Pershore Civic Centre, but we do advise that the information is for electoral use only. Inspection of the register is done under supervision and only handwritten notes may be taken.
Electoral Registration Annual Canvass
Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) are required to keep the register of eligible voters up to date. From July each year, they contact every household to find out if the details on the electoral register are correct. This is called the annual canvass.
Your household may be contacted in different ways, such as by:
- post
- phone
- knocking on your door
If you need to update your details on the electoral register, it’s important that you respond as soon as you can. This means reminders don’t have to be sent, and someone does not need to visit you to get this information.
Online notification of changes can be made on the household response website. You will need the security codes from our email or forms to complete this.
Referendums
The first was National Referendums in 1975 for the European Communities membership to gauge support for continued membership. The second was in 2011 for the Alternative Vote, to change the voting from the 'first past the post' system.
UK-wide, national and regional referendums
The Political Parties, Elections and Referendum Act 2000 (PPERA) establishes a fixed legal framework for the conduct of any referendum held across the UK, or a referendum held in Scotland, Wales, England or Northern Ireland.
Neighbourhood Planning Referendums
Neighbourhood planning was introduced under the Localism Act to give members of the community a more ‘hands on’ role in the planning of their neighbourhoods. It enables communities to develop a shared vision for their neighbourhood and deliver the sustainable development they need through planning policies relating to the development and use of land.
Read about Neighbourhood Planning in Wychavon
What is a petition for a change to a different form of governance?
The council can be petitioned to hold a referendum on whether our district should change to a different form of governance.
The Local Government Act 2000 requires the Council to publish a notice which sets out the minimum number of signatures which would be needed to support a valid petition requiring the council to hold a referendum on whether the district should change to a different form of governance.
Minimum number of signatures to support a valid petition
The minimum number, equal to 5 per cent of the local government electors for the county of Worcestershire shown in the revised registers published at 15 February, is 5147.
This is the minimum number of signatures needed to support any petitions to the council submitted between 1 April 2023 and before 31 March 2024.
A new number will be published in February 2024 and if the number is less than 5147 then the new number will apply from the date published.
Temporary jobs with Electoral Services
Would you like to help us run national and local elections? Then sign up for one of our temporary election roles. You can find out more on our Temporary jobs with Electoral Services page.
Contact us
For more information contact the Electoral Services Team:
Electoral Services Team
Wychavon District Council
Civic Centre
Queen Elizabeth Drive
Pershore
WR10 1PT
Tel: 01386 565437 between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.