The Elections Act 2022 introduced some changes to the way that British citizens living overseas can register to vote.
The main changes are:
Overseas voters who were registered to vote before 16 January 2024 will need to renew their registration when their declaration expires.
The Electoral Commission has produced an FAQ sheet for the changes.
Subject to the conditions outlined below, a British Citizen aged 16 or over and living abroad is entitled to be registered as an overseas elector if they were either:
or
British citizens living overseas must apply to register as a voter using the address where they were last registered to vote in the UK, or, if they have never been registered, the last address at which they were resident in the UK. The application must be based on the most recent address at which they were registered or resident.
Overseas electors are eligible to vote in UK Parliamentary elections. Some referendums may allow overseas electors to vote but each referendum has different rules on who is eligible to vote.
Applications to be an overseas elector can be made online.
Those applying based on a previous registration must provide details of the address at which they were registered and the date of that registration.
Those applying based on being previously resident must provide details of the last address at which they were resident.
The Electoral Registration Officer must be satisfied that the applicant was registered or lived at the address previously and must be able to verify the applicant’s identity. There are a number of resources available for verifying this information including archived registers and other locally held records. However, there may be a requirement for the applicant to supply more evidence to satisfy the Electoral Registration Officer that the application is valid.
Overseas electors will need to provide a renewal declaration every three years. The renewal cannot be made online and existing electors will be contacted by the Electoral Registration Officer in the months preceding the expiry to make that renewal.
It is important that overseas electors notify the Electoral Registration Officer of any changes in contact details to ensure that the renewal document reaches them and the elector records remain accurate.
Overseas electors will need to ensure that they have an absent vote arrangement in place if they will be out of the UK on polling day.
Overseas electors can have a proxy vote or a postal vote.
Voting by proxy means appointing a trusted friend or relative to carry out your vote on your behalf. Usually, the proxy will go to the polling station assigned to the address used to make your application to cast your vote in person, but they can apply to receive your vote through the post if preferred.
A proxy arrangement needs to be put in place by the relevant election deadline to be valid for that election.
Proxy applications can be made online, a National Insurance number (or additional documentation) is required.
Voting by post means that a postal vote pack (including a ballot paper) will be sent to the elector to complete and return.
Overseas electors should consider the risk of a postal vote not arriving back to the Returning Officer in the UK in time to be counted before applying. Parliamentary election timetables are very tight and delays with international postal systems may mean that the completed ballot paper will not be returned in time to be included in the count.
A postal vote arrangement needs to be put in place by the relevant election deadline to be valid for that election.
Postal applications can be made online, a National Insurance number (or additional documentation) is required.