You need to be on the electoral register in order to vote in UK elections and referendums. The electoral register is a list of names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote in the UK.
How to get on the electoral register
To be on the electoral register you will need to complete a register to vote form and send it to your local electoral registration office.
When can you register?
You can register to vote at any point throughout the year. A register to vote form can be obtained from you local electoral registration office or from the Electoral Commission website. You should be aware that there is a deadline for registering to vote which is determined by when the elections are held.
Who can register?
You can register to vote if you are:
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16 years old or over (but cannot vote until you are 18 years old)
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a British citizen
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an Irish, Commonwealth or European Union citizen who is resident in the UK
Citizens of the European Union who are not Commonwealth citizens can vote in European and local elections in the UK, but are not able to vote in UK Parliamentary general elections.
Further information on how to register to vote and register to vote forms can be found on the Electoral Commission website: