General election and Hornsey ward by-election: your questions answered

What the 4 July elections are for

On Thursday 4 July, voters across the United Kingdom will elect Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons.

As a voter, you will be able to cast 1 vote to choose a candidate to represent your constituency in the House of Commons. The candidate with the most votes is elected.

We also have a by-election in the Hornsey ward on the same day. People who are eligible to vote in that ward will elect a new councillor.

What is my constituency?

The constituencies have changed since the last election. See our parliamentary boundary changes page to find out more.

Find out who the candidates are

See the who can I vote for website to find out who the candidates are in your area.

Can I vote?

See the general election page to find out who can vote in the general election.

See the Hornsey ward by-election page to find out who can vote in the Hornsey ward by-election.

Where to vote

If you are registered to vote, by default you will need to go to your designated polling station unless you’ve applied to vote by post or proxy. If you have been appointed a proxy for someone else, you will need to go to their polling station.

You can find your polling station on your poll card, or by using the lookup tool on our find your polling station page.

All polling places are open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday 4 July.

I have moved address

The quickest and easiest way to change your address on the electoral register is to complete a new application online. You should include your previous address when prompted.

I have changed my nationality

The quickest and easiest way to change your nationality on the electoral register is to complete a new application online, providing your new nationality.

Alternatively, if you wish to provide documentary evidence you can contact us to find out more.

I have changed my name

The name on the register should reflect the name on your official photo ID.

To change your name, please provide us with your previous full name, current full name and address, and 1 of the following pieces of documentary evidence:

• marriage certificate
• amended birth certificate
• deed poll

If your documentary evidence is sufficient, your name will be changed on the electoral register at the next publication.

Do I need ID to vote at the polling station?

Yes – you will need to show photo ID at polling stations to vote. You can use an expired ID as long as the photo on it still looks like you.

Accepted forms of ID include:

• passport
• driving licence
• Oyster 60+ cards

You can see the full list of accepted IDs on the Electoral Commission’s website.

I do not have an accepted form of photo ID

Don't worry if you do not have an accepted form of photo ID – you can still vote, but you will need to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate to take with you to the polling station.

The deadline to apply is 5pm, Wednesday 26 June.

I’ve lost my poll card – can I still vote?

Yes. If you registered to vote before the deadline and are eligible to vote in these elections, you will receive a poll card with details on where to go to vote on election day. However, you do not need your poll card in order to vote.

As long as you are registered to vote, simply go to your polling station, show an accepted form of photo ID and the polling station staff will give you your ballot paper(s).

I can’t make it to the polling station on polling day

We offer different ways to vote to ensure that any eligible voter can have their say in elections. This includes the option to vote by post or by proxy.

Postal vote

To vote by post, you must get your application to us by 5pm on Wednesday 19 June. You can apply online, or you can fill in a paper application form.

The date your postal voting pack is sent to you depends on when your postal vote application was approved.

• For postal vote applications approved before Friday 31 May 2024, we anticipate postal voting packs to be sent around Tuesday 18 June
• For postal vote applications approved after Friday 31 May 2024, but before the deadline on Wednesday 19 June, we anticipate postal voting packs to be sent around Wednesday 26 June

Postal voting packs will contain your ballot papers and a postal voting statement. You will need to complete and return them using the pre-paid envelope provided. We need to receive the postal voting pack by 10pm on election day.

Proxy vote

Proxy voting is when you nominate somebody to vote on your behalf.

The person you appoint (your proxy) will have to go to your polling station to vote for you and they will need to show their own photo ID when voting. You will need to tell them who you want to vote for.

To vote by proxy, apply online or return your application form to us by 5pm on Wednesday 26 June.

Find out more about postal and proxy voting.

When will I receive my postal vote?

Postal votes are sent in batches, and the batch you will be in depends on when your postal vote application was approved.

See the previous section to find out when your postal vote is likely to arrive.

I haven’t received/I have lost my postal vote – can I go and vote in person at a polling station?

No, once you have been issued with a postal vote, you cannot vote in person. However, as long as you contact us before 5pm on election day, we may be able to issue you with a replacement postal voting pack.

Please call or email us as soon as possible to ensure there is sufficient time to get a new pack to you and for you to return this to us.

How to cancel a postal or proxy vote

To cancel an existing postal or proxy arrangement, you should contact us detailing the request along with your full name and address. Your request can be emailed to us: elections@haringey.gov.uk

For the UK Parliamentary General Election 2024, the deadline for changes to existing postal votes is 5pm on Wednesday 19 June 2024.

I want to opt out of the open register

To opt out of the open register, you will need to submit your request with your full name and address, and we will update our records.

Please note that opt out requests cannot be made on behalf of another person.

I want to remove a name from my address

You will need to complete the request a removal from to remove a name registered at your address.

As part of the removal process, a notice of removal letter will be sent to your address for the person concerned.

I have provided documentary evidence, when will I be added to the register?

If your documentary evidence is sufficient, you will be added to the electoral register at the next publication. You will then receive a letter to confirm this has been done.

Contact us

If you have another query, you can contact the Electoral Services team.