Electoral registration

How do I register to vote? 

You can complete the voter registration form which is available to download from the right hand side of this page as a pdf.

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
• 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.

After I register how do I vote? 

You can find out more by going to our voting information page.

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.

The register of electors is available for inspection at the following locations

Please note in accordance with the Representation of the People (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2002, the following rules apply to persons inspecting the register of electors 

• The register is open to public inspection under supervision
  
  
• Extracts from the register may be recorded only by making hand written notes. Photocopying or electronic recording are not permitted by law

• Information taken from the register must not be used for direct marketing purposes (as per section 11(3) of the Data Protection Act 1998), unless the information has been published in the edited version of the register.

Under these regulations anyone who fails to observe these conditions is committing a criminal offence. The penalty is a fine of up £5000.

Contacts