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Counting begins across UK
Millions of voters have headed to polling stations for elections across England, Scotland and Wales, with England deciding about 5,000 seats across 136 councils and six mayoral contests and Scotland and Wales electing representatives to their national parliaments.
“In England, about 5,000 seats across 136 councils and six mayoral contests are being decided.”
The BBC said only a few local authorities will begin counting on Thursday night, with most starting on Friday morning and the first results expected in the early hours on Friday, while the latest are expected to be known by Saturday evening.
In England, the BBC said votes are counted as soon as polls close in some areas, but this time most counts begin on Friday morning, and it described how local councillors are elected under the first-past-the-post system.
The BBC added that votes will begin to be counted for Scotland's constituencies and regional lists on Friday morning, with the shape of the new parliament likely to be clear by early Friday evening, while Wales votes will begin to be counted for all 16 of Wales' constituencies on Friday morning with results declared from about lunchtime into the early evening.
Timetables and early signals
LBC said counting has begun after elections in England, Scotland and Wales that will have huge implications for all the major political parties, and it listed that 46 of the 136 English local authorities are doing so overnight with the first results expected soon after midnight.
LBC also said four councils are not counting until Saturday, with the final result likely to be late on Saturday night, and it noted that estimated declaration times are based on information compiled by the Press Association and are approximate.
The Guardian said its results appear slightly differently—or slower—than others because its numbers are provided by the Press Association (PA), with numbers for change in seats calculated against the state of the council or parliament just before this election.
The Guardian added that PA collates results only for elections that were due in this electoral cycle, meaning there may be council byelection results in other parts of the country that are not included, and it said “Shadow elections” were also held for two new unitary authorities due to be created in Surrey in 2027.
Who needs ID to vote
The Independent said voters across the UK are heading to local polling stations for elections for the Welsh and Scottish parliaments and thousands of seats on English councils, and it explained that since May 2023 voters have been required to bring photographic identification for certain elections.
“Voter ID is now required at by-elections and recall petitions, general elections, local elections and referendums in England”
It said voter ID is now required at by-elections and recall petitions, general elections, local elections and referendums in England, and Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales, but it added that the new rules do not apply to Scotland’s Holyrood or Wales’ Senedd elections.
The Independent listed accepted forms of photographic ID including a Passport issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, a British Overseas Territory, an EEA state, or a Commonwealth country, and it said a photo driving licence issued by the UK, any of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or an EEA state (including a provisional driving licence) is also accepted.
It also said that anyone who does not have an accepted form of photo ID can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate, which is free to apply for and will be accepted at all polling stations, and it stated that it is now too late to apply for one of these certificates for the 7 May local elections with the deadline being 28 April.
