Poll cards

Normal poll card

If you're voting at a polling station - before an election you'll be posted a poll card. Each member of the household who is eligible to vote should receive a poll card which informs them of the date of the election, where their polling station is and the hours of poll.

You can only vote at a polling station location on your card. You do not need to take the poll card with you to be able to vote, but will need to take your photo ID.

If you're proxy voting at a polling station you will receive a poll card with the elector's name on it about one week before the election. You will still need to take photo ID when voting.

If you've not received a poll card and think you should contact us using the details on this page.

Look out for your poll card

You'll be sent a poll card just before an election. The poll card can’t be used as an accepted form of photo ID.

Sample normal poll card

Details of a sample normal poll card are given below.

The front of a normal polling card

You must bring photographic identification to vote at a polling station.

You will not be able to vote unless you show photographic identification to the polling station staff. A full list of accepted photographic identification is set out overleaf.

Election of councillors to Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council
Election of Mayor for Greater Manchester Combined Authority

Date of election: Thursday, 2 May 2024
Ward: (your ward details will be entered here)
Greater Manchester Combined Authority Area

Voting information

Polling day: Thursday, 2 May 2024
Voting hours: 7am–10pm
Your polling station will be: (your polling station details will be entered here)

If you need any help or to find out if your polling station is accessible, please contact us.

Your details: (your name and address will be entered here)

Electoral register number: (your electoral register number will be entered here)

You do not need to take this card with you in order to vote.

Additional measures have been put in place for electors to make the voting process more accessible, including assistance for disabled voters in polling stations.

More information can be found on our website or by contacting us using the details below:

Helpline number: 0300 303 0345
Email: elections@rochdale.gov.uk
Website for local elections: www.rochdale.gov.uk/elections
Website for Greater Manchester Mayor elections: www.gmelects.org.uk

The Returning Officer issued this card.

The reverse of a normal polling card

Accepted forms of photographic identification

You must present one of the following forms of photographic identification in order to vote in person at a polling station:

A 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
A driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or an EEA state
A biometric immigration document
An identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram (a PASS card)
Ministry of Defence Form 90 (Defence Identity Card)
A Blue Badge
A national identity card issued by an EEA state
An Older Person’s Bus Pass
A Disabled Person’s Bus Pass
An Oyster 60+ Card
A Freedom Pass
A Scottish National Entitlement Card issued in Scotland
A 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card issued in Wales
A Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card issued in Wales
A Senior SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
A Registered Blind SmartPass or Blind Person’s SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
A War Disablement SmartPass or War Disabled SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
A 60+ SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
A Half Fare SmartPass issued in Northern Ireland
An Electoral Identity Card issued in Northern Ireland
A Voter Authority Certificate or a temporary Voter Authority Certificate

If you do not possess any of the above forms of photographic identification, you can apply to your local Electoral Registration Officer for a free Voter Authority Certificate. Completed applications must reach us before 5pm on Wednesday, 24 April 2024. You can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate online at voter-authority-certificate.service.gov.uk.

If your photographic identification document has expired it will still be accepted so long as the photograph is still a good likeness of you, unless it is a temporary Voter Authority Certificate which is not valid for use on the date of poll.

You may be required to provide further proof of identity if there is any discrepancy between your name as shown on your form of photographic identification and the name of the elector that you claim to be.

It is an offence to:

Vote more than once at the same election, unless you are voting on your own behalf and as a proxy for another person
Vote as a proxy on behalf of more than 4 electors, of which no more than 2 may be on behalf of other domestic electors (a domestic elector is one who is not an overseas or service elector)
Vote as a proxy for someone if you know that by law they are not allowed to vote

If you are away or cannot go to the polling station on Thursday, 2 May 2024 you can do one of the following:

Apply to vote by post. Completed applications must reach us before 5pm on Wednesday, 17 April 2024. If you are given a postal vote, you will not be able to vote in person at this election. You can apply to vote by post online at www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote.
Apply to vote by proxy (this means someone else can vote on your behalf). Completed applications must reach us before 5pm on Wednesday, 24 April 2024. If you appoint a proxy, you can vote if you wish, but only if your proxy has not already voted on your behalf and has not got a postal vote for you.

If after 5pm on Wednesday, 24 April 2024 you are unable to vote in person because:

You have a medical emergency after 5pm on Wednesday, 24 April 2024
You learn you cannot go to the polling station because of work reasons
The form of accepted photographic identification that you were intending to use to vote has been lost, stolen, damaged or destroyed, or has not yet been received if applied for recently.

You can apply to vote by proxy. Completed applications must reach us before 5pm on Thursday, 2 May 2024. To find out how to apply, call the helpline immediately.

If you require this poll card in large print or another format, please contact us.

If undelivered, return to: Electoral Services Unit, Number One Riverside, Rochdale OL16 1XU