New Constituency Reminder for Ribble Valley Voters

The UK is divided into 650 areas, called constituencies, each of which elects one MP to represent local residents at Parliament.

The forthcoming General Election will be fought on new constituency boundaries, which have been redrawn to reflect population changes and distribute the number of voters more equally.

Residents in the former Ribble Valley constituency will now vote in one of two new constituencies: Pendle and Clitheroe, or Ribble Valley.

The constituency you will vote in is set out on poll cards, which are currently being delivered to every registered elector in Ribble Valley.

The traditional poll card has been changed to an A4 letter in an envelope with the message: Your poll card is enclosed / Do not lose your right to vote.

The card sets out which constituency you will be voting in and where your polling station is, as well as how to vote by post or proxy, if you are unable to vote in person.

If you choose to vote in person, don’t forget you now have to show photo-ID – a comprehensive list of accepted ID, which includes passports, driving licences and bus passes, is set out on the back of the letter.

If you do not have one of the accepted forms of ID, you can apply for free photo-ID, called a voter authority certificate.

To apply for a voter authority certificate, you will need to provide a photograph, your full name, date of birth, the address at which you are registered to vote and national insurance number or other form of proof of identity, such as a birth certificate, bank statement or utility bill.

The deadline to apply for a voter authority certificate is 5pm on Wednesday, 26 June, but you are asked to apply as soon as possible in case Ribble Valley Borough Council needs to check any details with you.

To apply for a certificate, go to electoralcommission.org.uk/voterID, or you can download an application form and send it to Electoral Services, Ribble Valley Borough Council, Council Offices, Church Walk, Clitheroe, Lancashire, BB7 2RA.

You can also phone the council’s electoral services team on 01200 414411 or 01200 414426 to book an appointment to complete the form in person.

• Don’t forget to vote you must be registered to vote. It only takes five minutes to register online at gov.uk/register-to-vote. Please make sure you are registered to vote before applying for a voter authority certificate. The deadline to register to vote is Tuesday, 18 June, and the deadline for new postal vote applications is 5pm on Wednesday, 19 June.