Electoral registration

This page contains answers to frequently asked questions about electoral registration

Why do I need to register?
You need to be on the electoral register to vote in all UK elections and referendums. You are not automatically registered even if you pay council tax.

Who can register to vote?
You can register to vote if you are:

• 16 or over (but you can not vote until you are 18).
• A British, Irish Republic or Commonwealth citizen;
• A citizen of a European Union country living in the UK; or
• A citizen of the Channel Islands or Isle of Man living in the UK

A full list of eligible citizens is available to download from this page.

I'm a student and I'm not sure where I should register to vote?
Students are entitled to register at both their home address and their university address. Although it is an offence to vote more than once in a national election, you can vote in local elections at both of your addresses.

I am 16 or 17 years of age. Can I register to vote?
Yes. You can register to vote, but you are not allowed to vote until you are 18. If your 18th birthday is just before an election it is a good idea to register now so that you are able to vote on election day.

How do I register to vote?
A Voter Registration Form is available to download from this page.

When will my application be processed?

After I register, how do I vote?
You can find out more by going to our 'Voting information'  page.

Why can't I get credit?
If you have been denied credit because your bank or credit reference agency are unable to verify your details on the electoral register, this is because the electoral register is often used for credit referencing purposes to counteract fraud.

In this case, you need to contact Electoral Services for confirmation that you are registered. We will be able to supply you with a letter confirming your details on the electoral register, there is a £10 charge for this service.

If you require a confirmation letter, you can visit our offices where a letter will be prepared for you while you wait (this will take approximately 15 minutes). Payment methods accepted are credit/debit card, cheque, postal order or cash.

Alternatively you can write to us at the above address, enclosing a cheque or postal order for £10.00, made payable to Leeds City Council. Please ensure you include details of your name, address and the number of years you have resided at that address.

Sometimes the records maintained by credit reference agencies are incorrect – they should be able to supply you with a copy of your record so that you can check the details.

If you have already provided confirmation that you are registered to your bank or credit reference agency, then any further problems will have to be taken up with them, not with Electoral Services.

Will my details be used for anything else?
There are two versions of the electoral register – the full version and the edited version. The full register is used only for elections, preventing and detecting crime and checking applications for credit. The edited register is available for general sale and can be used for commercial activities such as marketing. Your name and address will appear on the full register but you can choose on your registration form whether to appear on the edited register.

Can I search the electoral register online?
There is currently no official centralised electoral register that can be searched online.

Can I use the electoral register to look for a lost relative or friend?
Finding a lost friend or relative on the electoral register could be difficult because electoral registration is performed by the Electoral Services office for each area and there is currently no official centralised electoral register that can be searched.

The register available to search is listed in address order, so it is not possible to find a person's address simply by looking up their name.

Contacts