THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
THE TRANSATLANTIC MAGAZINE
In a shock announcement - and a downpour of rain - Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called an early general election. The United Kingdom will go to the polls this July, with the vote taking place on Thursday July 4.
But what are the rules on voting eligibility?
According to the UK Government, to vote in a General Election you must:
★ be registered to vote
★ be 18 or over on the day of the election ('polling day')
★ be a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen
★ be resident at an address in the UK (or a British citizen living abroad who has been registered to vote in the UK in the last 15 years)
★ not be legally excluded from voting
This means that unfortunately, if you are a US Citizen residing in the UK through a visa, you are ineligible to vote. However, if you are a US Citizen with dual UK nationality and are resident in the UK, you are eligible to vote. Similarly, you should be eligible to vote if you have a dual Irish Citizenship, or are a dual citizen with a qualifying Commonwealth nation.
If you have British citizenship but reside in the USA, you must have been registered to vote in the UK in the last 15 years to be eligible to vote in the upcoming 2024 General Election. You can find more details on eligibility and procedures for Overseas Voters at the Electoral Commission's website.
If you have any doubts, or want to understand your eligibility to vote, you can contact your local electoral office. Full details on electoral offices across the UK are available via www.gov.uk/get-on-electoral-register.
For more information on voting eligiblity and processes, go to www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter
