Registering to vote :Cross Stitch – Government, citizens and rights
In order to vote in UK elections and referendums, you need to apply to have your name included on the electoral register. This is known as registering to vote. Find out who can register, which elections you can vote in and how to register to vote.
The electoral register is a list of the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote. You aren’t automatically registered to vote, even if you pay Council Tax. Electoral registration is a separate process from Council Tax registration.
Once you have filled the form in, you should send it to your local electoral registration office.
If you live in England, find out details of your local electoral registration office by following the link below. If you aren’t sure whether you are registered to vote, ask someone at the local electoral registration office to tell you.
Your local council sends an electoral registration form to your home between August and November each year. Most people register or renew their electoral registration as part of this process.
Returning the electoral registration form
You must return the electoral registration form, even if there is no change or no one is eligible to vote at your address. The form should list all the people who will be living at your address on 15 October and who are eligible to vote.
Some local councils will allow you to renew your registration online or by phone if your details haven’t changed. Look on your registration form to find out if your council provides this service.
New electoral register
A new electoral register is published on 1 December each year, including all the changes made during the registration process.
If an election is called during the registration process
If an election is called during this annual registration process the registration officer in the council will ensure that the register includes forms returned before the registration deadline. The aim is to ensure that the election is conducted on the most up-to-date register possible.
From December to mid-August (when the council isn’t running the yearly electoral registration process), there are monthly updates to the electoral register. If you register during this time, your details will be included in the next monthly update.
Once you are registered, you’ll be able to vote in the following elections, depending on where you are from and where you live:
- UK Parliament
- European Parliament
- local council
- Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales, or Northern Ireland Assembly, if you live in these areas
People who serve in the Armed Forces and their husbands, wives or civil partners can register as a service voter. This means you are registered to vote at an address in the UK while you are away from home or serving abroad. You must renew your service declaration every three years.
If you are abroad and registered as a service voter you can vote by post or proxy.
If you serve in the Armed Forces and are living in the UK, you can either register as a service voter or apply to be included on the electoral register.
Electoral registration forms for service voters can be downloaded by visiting the About My Vote website and following the ‘Register to vote’ link.
British citizens living abroad who have been registered to vote in the UK within the past 15 years can register as an overseas voter, which means:
- you can vote in UK general elections and European Parliamentary elections
- you can’t vote in UK local government elections or elections for the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
There are two versions of the electoral register:
- the ‘full register’ is only used for elections, preventing and detecting crime, and checking applications for loans or credit
- the ‘edited register’ is available for general sale and can be used by commercial companies
Your name and address will appear on the full register. You can choose whether to appear on the edited register when you register to vote.