Final day to register to vote in General Election

Anyone not registered to vote in the General Election has only a few hours left to apply.

The deadline is 11.59pm on Tuesday.

People who have not yet registered to vote, or are not sure if they are eligible, can submit an application online at http://gov.uk/register-to-vote.

More than 2.1 million applications to vote have been submitted since the election was called, Government figures show.

This includes 330,621 submitted on June 13 – the highest for a single day so far this year.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the election on the afternoon of May 22.

The cumulative number of applications submitted since that date has gradually picked up pace, passing half a million on May 31, one million on June 9 and 1.5 million on June 13, reaching two million on Monday.

Some 31% of applications submitted from May 23 to June 17 were by people aged 25 to 34, with a further 26% from people under 25, according to analysis by the PA news agency.

In addition, 17% were from 35 to 44-year-olds, 10% from 45 to 54-year-olds, 9% from 55 to 64-year-olds, 5% from 65 to 74-year-olds, and 2% from people over the age of 75.

All voters intending to cast a ballot in the General Election on July 4 will not only need to be registered but also show a form of photo identification at the polling station.

Not all types of photo ID will be accepted, but a passport, driving licence or blue badge are valid.

Anyone without the correct identification will need to apply for a voter authority certificate by 5pm on June 26, which can be done online at http://gov.uk/apply-for-photo-id-voter-authority-certificate.

Photo ID rules were brought in as part of the Elections Act 2022, as the Government said they were necessary to combat the risk of in-person voter fraud.

The requirements were first enforced at last year’s local elections in England.

Applications to vote by post in the General Election need to be submitted by 5pm on June 19 for people in England, Scotland and Wales.

The deadline for people in Northern Ireland to apply to vote by post has already passed.

Mr Sunak said it was important to register to vote in the General Election because Britain’s future was at stake.

“The future of our country is at stake, we are living in uncertain times, people need to decide who’s got the clearest plan and the boldest ideas to deliver a more secure future,” he told broadcasters.

He added that the choice was “crystal clear”, with the Conservatives offering “tax cuts at every stage of your life”.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, meanwhile, said if his party wins power it will “review” the requirement to take ID to polling stations.

He said: “I think we need to review and look at the ID rules. I am concerned about the impact. I won’t shy away from that. But my message today is remember your ID when you go to vote this time around.”

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he hopes his party’s campaign trail, which has seen him ride rollercoasters at Thorpe Park and build sandcastles in south Devon, will engage more people in politics.

He told PA news agency: “In our campaign, yes we’ve got some serious messages, but because we’re doing it in an unusual way, instantly different… I hope it’s engaging people.

“Something we’ve picked up from the doorstep is people actually like it, they feel that we’re not being stuffy and out-of-touch, we’re trying to engage.

“Whether that’s going to drive voter registration I don’t know, but I hope people will register and will take part.”