Voters from all over Bolton have been given a final warning to avoid being “turned away” at polling stations on election day today.
All three of the borough’s parliamentary seats will be up for grabs in the general election on Thursday.
This will be the UK’s first general election that will need voters to bring valid forms of photo ID such as driving licences or passports with them.
Bolton Council chief executive and acting returning officer Sue Johnson said: “It is vital that everyone who wants to have their say at the general election is able to do so.
“We know that turnout can be significantly higher for general elections, so for many people this will be their first time voting under these new requirements.
Bolton Council chief executive Sue Johnson (Image: Bolton Council)
“I would therefore urge everyone to check that their friends, family, and neighbours remember to bring their ID, so that nobody who is eligible to vote is turned away on the day.”
Voters will go to the polls across Bolton North East, Bolton West and Bolton South and Walkden to elect MPs who will represent them in the House of Commons for up to five years.
Since the last general election in 2019 changes brought in by the Elections Act 2022 mean anyone voting at a polling station on the day must first show an accepted form of photo ID.
Accepted forms of ID include a passport, driving licence, including a provisional driving licence, and some concessionary travel passes, like an older person’s bus pass.
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Voters can use expired ID if they are still recognisable from the photo.
Standing in Bolton North East are the Green Party’s Hanif Alli, Independent Kevin Allsop, Labour’s Kirith Entwistle, Rebecca Forrest of the Liberal Democrats, Trevor Jones of Reform UK, Syeda Misbah Kazmi of the Workers Party, Independent John Partington and Conservative Adele Warren.
In Bolton South and Walkden the candidates are Independent Don Prof Reis Abraham Halliwell PRF, Conservative Mohammed Afzal, Gemma Bowker of the Liberal Democrats, Jack Khan of the Workers Party, the Green Party’s Philip Kochitty, Reform UK’s Julie Pattison and Labour’s Yasmin Qureshi.
The candidates in Bolton West are the Green Party’s Vicki Attenborough, Phil Brickell of the Labour Party, Conservative Chris Green, Patrick McGrath of the English Democrats and Liberal Democrat Donald McIntosh.
The general election will be held today ( July 4).
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