Voting

The importance of voting

• Everyone in the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities has the right to vote.
• Voting gives you the chance to have your say in how the country is run.
• Some communities feel unsure about voting.
• It might be that you don't how to register or that your vote won't change anything.
• But voting lets you speak up and be heard.

Who can register to vote in the UK

If you live in England or Northern Ireland you can register if:

• You're aged 16 or older.
• You're a British citizen, Irish citizen, or a Commonwealth citizen.
• You have or don't need permission to stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man.
  • This includes EU citizens who've had permission to stay since 31 December 2020.

If you live in Scotland you can register to vote if:

• You're 14 or older.
• You are a British or Irish citizen.
• You have or don't need permission to stay in the UK, Channel Islands, or Isle of Man.

If you live in Wales you can register if:

• You're 14 years or older.
• You are a British, Irish, or EU citizen.
• You have or don't need permission to stay in the UK, Channel Islands, or Isle of Man

If you live abroad you can register to vote if:

• You've lived in the UK before and are:
  • A British citizen.
  • An eligible Irish citizen registering to vote in Northern Ireland.

Who can vote in the UK

For UK general elections, you must:

• Be 18 or older on the election day
• Be a British, Irish, or qualifying Commonwealth citizen.
• Live in the UK or be registered as an overseas voter.

For local elections, you must:

• Be 18 or older on the day of the election.
  • 16 or older in Scotland and Wales.
• Be registered at an address in the area where you want to vote.
  • Find your next local election here.

For police and crime commissioner (PCC) elections you must:

• Be 18 or older on polling day.
• Be registered to vote.
• Be resident in England or Wales (excluding London).

How to register

• You can register to vote online.
  • It only takes about 5 minutes.
  • And you can do it on your mobile phone.
•  You can download a form to register to vote and post it to your local authority.

Can I vote if I am homeless?

• Yes, you can still vote if you are homeless or do not have a permanent address.

How to register:

• Use the form for registering to vote with no fixed address.
• You can find the form online for England, Scotland, and Wales.
• Send the completed form to your local electoral registration office.
• You can find the address of your local electoral registration office online.
  • They can help you if you have trouble understanding or completing the form.

What information do I need to provide?

• Your address or details of a place where you spend most of your time.
• This address should be in the area where you will be voting.

What you need to vote at a polling station:

• You need to show photo ID to vote in elections and referendums at a polling station.
• Accepted IDs include:
  • Full or provisional driving licence
  • UK or EU passport
  • Blue Badge
  • Voter Authority Certificate

If you don't have accepted photo ID:

• Apply for a Voter Authority Certificate if:
  • You do not have accepted photo ID.
  • You no longer look like the photo on your ID.
  • You have a different name on your ID than the one on the electoral register.
• You can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate online.

More information:

• Check the government website for a full list of acceptable IDs.

How to apply for a postal vote

• You must be registered to vote.
• You can apply for a postal vote online.
• You do not need to show photo ID to apply for a postal vote.
• Complete and send the form to your local electoral registration office.

If you are too late to post

• Take your postal vote to your local polling station by 10pm on the election day.

What is this called?

• This is called a proxy vote.

When can I apply for a proxy vote?

• If you are away on election day.
• If you have a disability or medical condition.
• If you are registered as an overseas voter.
• If you cannot vote because of work or military service.

How to apply:

• Apply for a proxy vote online.

Proxy voter requirements:

• Your proxy must be registered to vote.
• They need to bring their own photo ID to the polling station.
  • But they do not need to bring yours.

Further resources

• Crisis: How to Register to vote if you're homeless.
• The Electoral Commission.
• My Vote My Voice.