Living with a mental illness doesn’t need to stop us from voting.


People with a mental illness are as keen to vote as any other group in society, but face multiple barriers and hurdles. We want to dismantle these barriers so that every person with a
mental illness is able to take part in the election if they want to.

 

We’ve put together a resource with essential information about voting and voter registration,
as well as links to further guidance. It also provides information for mental health professionals, services and charities on supporting people with a mental illness to be equal citizens
during this election.

The fundamentals:

  1. Having a mental illness does not mean you lose the right to vote

  2. You need to register to be able to vote – you can register here up to 11.59pm on 18 June

  3. You have the option of a postal vote or a proxy vote

  4. You now need photo ID to vote at a polling station – there’s a list of accepted photo IDs here. If you don’t have any of these, you can apply for free photo ID up to 5pm on 26 June

  5. A friend, carer and supporter can accompany you to the polling station and even enter the polling booth with you.

Anyone working in a mental health service with people over 18 can help ensure
that their clients, patients and service users are able to vote in this General Election. Simple adjustments, conversations, reassurance and support can make a
big difference.