Voting

Registering to vote if you have an address

Age Requirements:

• In England and Northern Ireland, you must be 16 or older to register to vote.
• In Scotland and Wales, you must be 14 or older to register to vote.
• You must be 18 or older to vote in a general election.

How to Register:

• Online: You can register to vote online. It only takes about 5 minutes, and you can do it on your mobile phone.
• By Post: You can download a form to register to vote and send it to your local authority.

Registering if you do not have a fixed address

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:

1. Fill Out the Form:
   • Use the form for registering to vote with no fixed address.
   • You can find the form online for England, Scotland, and Wales.
2. Send the Form:
   • Send the completed form to your local electoral registration office.
   • You can find the address of your local electoral registration office online.
3. Get Help:
   • The local electoral registration office can help you if you have trouble understanding or completing the form.

What Information Do I Need to Provide?

• You will need to provide an 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.

Identification

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.

Postal Voting

How to Apply for a Postal Vote:

1. Registration: You must be registered to vote.
2. Apply Online: You can apply for a postal vote online.
3. No Photo ID Needed: You do not need to show photo ID to apply for a postal vote.
4. Send the Form: 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.

Proxy Vote

What is Proxy Voting?

• Voting by proxy means someone else votes on your behalf.

When Can You 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.

Crisis: How to Register to vote if you’re homeless

The Electoral Commission

My Vote My Voice