In a surprise announcement on 22 May, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced that he was calling a general election for 4July. So, who can vote and what else do voters need to know?
Here is a guide to what the government’s own website tells us about voting…
Who can vote?
According to the government’s own website to be able to vote, you must:
- be registered to vote
- be 18 or over on the day of the election (‘polling day’)
- be a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen
- be resident at an address in the UK or living abroad and registered as an overseas voter
- not be legally excluded from voting
Who can register to vote?
You must be aged 16 or over.
You can register to vote if you’re a British citizen or an Irish citizen.
You can also register if you have permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man – or you do not need permission – and you’re a:
- Commonwealth citizen
- citizen of Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal or Spain
- citizen of another EU country, if you have had permission to enter or stay – or not needed permission – since 31 December 2020, and this has continued without a break
You can register online here:
What you need to know
You’ll be asked for your National Insurance number (but you can still register if you do not have one).
After you’ve registered, your name and address will appear on the electoral register.
There’s a different process to register anonymously, for example if you’re concerned about your safety or the safety of someone in your household.
Check if you’re already registered – contact your local Electoral Registration Office to find out if you’re already registered to vote.
Voting in person
Most people go to a local polling station and vote in person. You can find more information here.
Postal votes
You can apply for a postal vote here or here.
Proxy votes
If you can’t vote in person, you can get someone else to vote for you by proxy.
You can apply for a proxy vote online here.
Information about voting as a proxy for someone else can be found here.
Voting from abroad
You can find out about voting from abroad here.
Photo ID
You will need to take photo ID to the polling station, if you are voting in person, or as a proxy for someone else:
According to the government’s website, you’ll need one of the following types of photo ID to vote:
- a UK or Northern Ireland photocard driving licence (full or provisional)
- a driving licence issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Isle of Man or any of the Channel Islands
- a UK passport
- a passport issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or a Commonwealth country
- a PASS card (National Proof of Age Standards Scheme)
- a Blue Badge
- a biometric residence permit (BRP)
- a Defence Identity Card (MOD form 90)
- a national identity card issued by the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
- a Northern Ireland Electoral Identity Card
- a Voter Authority Certificate
- an Anonymous Elector’s Document
You can also use one of the following travel passes as photo ID when you vote:
- an older person’s bus pass
- a disabled person’s bus pass
- an Oyster 60+ card
- a Freedom Pass
- a Scottish National Entitlement Card (NEC)
- a 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
- a Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
- a Northern Ireland concessionary travel pass
The photo on your ID must look like you. You can still use your ID even if it has expired.
Information needed to vote can be found here.
