According to The Electoral Commision’s factsheet “Turnout” published in March 2008, an estimated 15% of eligible voters within some UK consituencies are not registered to vote. Failing to register to vote is a failure to take part in deciding the future of the country.
Eligibility to Vote
All British citizens aged 16 years or older may register to vote within the UK, although they will not become eligible to vote until the age of 18. Citizens of the European Union can register, as can citizens of the Commonwealth who have, or do not require, leave to enter or remain in the UK. Only British citizens, however, are eligible to vote in a Parliamentary, or general, election.
There is a commonly held but mistaken belief that being registered to pay council tax provides automatic entry onto the electoral register. This, unfortunately, is not the case and separate voter registration is required.
Further, having no fixed address does not prevent someone from registering to vote. Homeless people, those remanded in custody or patients in mental health hospitals can contact their local electoral office, who will provide them with a ‘Declaration of Local Connection’ form allowing them to register.
Register to Vote During the Annual Canvas
Probably the easiest way to register to vote is during the annual canvas, when voter registrations are renewed. Every year, from August to November, local councils send forms to every residence in the country. It is a legal requirement to complete and return the forms, so it really is the ideal opportunity to register.
Register to Vote During the Rest of the Year
Rolling registration takes place throughout the rest of the year, updating voter information on a monthly basis to take into account house moves. The registration form can be completed online at About My Vote. This must then be printed and signed before being returned to the local registration office, whose details will be generated automatically when a valid postcode is entered.
Alternatively, a blank form can be downloaded and completed by hand before posting to the local office. Unfortunately, it is not possible to register to vote online at this time as each registration form requires a signature for security reasons.
With a European Parliamentary election being held on 4 June 2009 and a UK Parliamentary election to be held before 5 May 2010, now is the perfect time to register to vote and to have a say in the future of both the United Kingdom and the European Union.
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