Don't forget to cast your ballot! Have you signed up for election registration yet?
A general election has been scheduled for Thursday, 4 July 2024, and with it comes the requirement for a physical form of voter ID to cast a vote across the UK.
To be eligible to vote, individuals must meet certain criteria. They must be 18 or over on polling day, British, Irish, or qualifying Commonwealth citizens, resident in the UK, and not legally excluded from voting.
However, international students in the UK who are not British, Irish, or Commonwealth citizens, and do not meet specific EU citizenship criteria, are not eligible to vote in UK General Elections. This includes students from countries like Canada, India, and Singapore.
For those who do meet the citizenship and residency criteria, registering to vote is a straightforward process. You can register online through the official UK government voter registration portal, usually requiring your National Insurance number and address details. It typically takes about five minutes.
It's important to note that students may be able to register to vote at both their home address and their term-time address, but they can only vote once in a general election.
If you are unsure about your eligibility or wish to register, it's recommended to consult the UK Electoral Commission or your local council's election office.
For those eligible, the deadline to register for the 2024 General Election is 23:59 on Tuesday, 18 June 2024.
If you are an international student without the necessary citizenship and residency, there are other ways to get involved in the democratic process. For instance, students can apply for a Free CitizenCard via NUS by Thursday 20 June.
The elections are run on a first-past-the-post system, and you can choose to vote in person, by post, or by proxy. For voting by proxy, there are limits to how many people you can act as a proxy for, and you can apply online for some types of proxy vote.
For those who wish to vote by post, you can now apply online and need to reapply every three years. If you are going to be away during the election and unable to vote in person, you can still make your voice heard by voting by post.
It's also worth noting that the voting age in the UK has been lowered to 16 for the general election starting in 2024, but eligibility requirements still stand.
For more information about the voting process, eligibility, and registration, visit the UK Electoral Commission's website.
- To stay informed about policy and legislative changes related to the election, interested individuals can follow the general news for updates on political matters.
- For those studying in the UK who are not citizens of the UK, Ireland, or the Commonwealth, the politics surrounding policy and legislation may not directly affect their voting eligibility, but they can still engage in the democratic process by applying for a Free CitizenCard via NUS.
