Voting in the UK as a British Citizen
Voting in the UK as a British Citizen
Voting in the UK as a British Citizen – Being a British citizen gives you the right to vote in the UK general election and local government elections and by-elections after you reach the age of 18.
Voting in the UK as a British Citizen
Others are also allowed to vote in these elections:
- Citizens of Ireland who live in the UK
- British nationals who are overseas (but not allowed to vote in local government elections)
- British Overseas Territory citizens
- Commonwealth citizens
- European Union citizens living in the UK (allowed to vote in local government elections only)
Voting in the UK as a British Citizen – UK elections aren’t the only ones in the democratic process. As part of the European Union, UK citizens have the right to vote in elections for the European Parliament.
If you happen to be a UK citizen living in another EU country, you can vote in European elections either in the UK or in the country you’re living in, but not both. However, if you’re a British citizen or fall into one of the other preceding categories, you may not be allowed to exercise your right to vote in certain circumstances – for example, you’re a convicted prisoner or have a severe mental health problem and don’t understand the voting procedure.
Voting in the UK as a British Citizen – You also have to be on the electoral register on the day the election is held, or you aren’t able to vote. Although the right to vote is a democratic right, it isn’t compulsory.