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.

See our videos on Voter participation for Romany Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.

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).

See our FFT Guide to Registering to Vote in England

If you have a fixed address

• 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.

If you are homeless or do not have a fixed address:

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

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.

See our FFT Voter Authority Certificate leaflet for more information.

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.