Electoral register is closing

The general election is taking place on Thursday 4 July and voting is beginning soon as electors who have already registered for a postal vote will receive ballot packs this week.

If not yet registered to vote, it must be done by 11.59pm tomorrow (Tuesday 18 June). You can register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote where you can complete an application form in a matter of minutes.

Registered electors can also apply for a postal vote and the deadline to apply is 5pm this Wednesday 19 June. You can also apply online at:https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote

Voters going to a polling station on Thursday 4 July are reminded that they will again need to show photo ID. If you do not have one of the accepted types of photo ID, such as a passport or driving licence, you can apply for a Voter Authority certificate at www.gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate.

The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate is 5pm next Wednesday (26 June). Voters must be on the Electoral Register to apply for a certificate and need to provide a photo, full name, date of birth, the address at which they are registered to vote and their National Insurance number.

Sunderland's Returning Officer, Patrick Melia OBE said: "To be able to vote at the parliamentary election, residents must either be on the electoral register or have applied to be on by no later than Tuesday 18 June.

"Anybody who has not already registered should do so as soon as possible. If you are not on the register you will not be able to vote in the general election. 

"Please also remember how this is the first general election where those voting at a polling station will need to show photo ID. Voters should check now if they have an accepted form of ID, and if not apply for free ID - the Voter Authority Certificate."

Candidates for election to the Houghton and Sunderland South, Sunderland Central and Washington and Gateshead South parliamentary constituencies were confirmed ten days ago.

The count for the three constituencies is being held at Silksworth Community Pool, Tennis and Wellness Centre, SR3 1PD.

This is the same Sunderland venue that has hosted parliamentary counts for the last four general elections. It regularly hosts City Council election counts and has been a centre for Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner counts and declarations. In May it was the regional returning centre for the North East Combined Authority mayoral election.

The electorate and number of postal voters for each of the constituencies at the beginning of this month was:

• Houghton and Sunderland South, 77,645 electors with 32,303 registered for a postal vote
• Sunderland Central, 75,125 electors with 29,455 registered for a postal vote
• Washington and Gateshead South, 70,387 electors with 28,519 registered for a postal vote.

17 June 2024