The Electoral Commission has launched a campaign reminding British citizens living abroad that they need to be on the electoral register to vote in UK elections and referendums.
The Electoral Commission’s leaflet Register to Vote from Overseas (PDF, 99KB) explains voter registration options and procedures for those living overseas. It is available in various languages and formats, such as large print or audio tape, from the leaflets and forms area of the Electoral Commission website.
Further details about overseas registration are available below, and on the Electoral Commission’s user-friendly voter website.
Q: I live overseas, how do I register to vote?
A: If you are a British citizen over 18 years of age living abroad, but you have been registered to vote in the UK within the last 15 years, you can apply to be an overseas voter (or overseas elector). If you were younger than 18 years of age when you left the UK, your parent or guardian must have been registered.
Once registered as an overseas voter, you are entitled to vote in elections to the UK and European Parliaments, but not local UK government elections or elections for the Scottish Parliament, the Welsh Assembly or the Northern Ireland Assembly.
For further information and to register as an overseas voter, download and complete the electoral registration form for British citizens living overseas and return it to the Electoral Registration Office covering the address where you were last registered to vote in the UK (the addresses are also available on the website).
If you would like to vote by post or proxy, you can complete either the postal or proxy vote application form that forms part of the registration form.
Q: What if I am a Crown Servant or British Council employee overseas?
A: if you are working outside the UK as a Crown Servant, serving in the armed forces or are an employee of the British Council, you can still register to vote. You can also register if you are married to a Crown Servant or British Council employee and you are accompanying them during their employement abroad.
You will be entitled to vote in all elections in the UK.
For further information and to register, download and complete the electoral registration form (service declaration) for Crown Servants and British Council employees and return it to the Electoral Registration Office for the address where you last registered to vote in the UK.
If you would like to vote by post or by proxy, you can fill in either the postal or proxy vote application form that forms part of the application form.
