Register to vote

To vote in local and parliamentary government elections you must be on the electoral register for the area where you live.

You must register to vote. Your name will not automatically appear on the electoral register even if you pay council tax.

You need to register if you’ve never registered before, if you’ve moved home recently, or if you’ve changed your name.

There's lots of information about voting and registering on the government's website.

Anonymous registration

If you're worried about your name appearing on the electoral register for safety reasons, you can register to vote anonymously. There are strict rules about who can apply and you must have a valid reason for your application.

Find out more about anonymous voter registration.

Student registration

If you're a student living away from home you can register to vote using your home address. You may also register using a temporary address if you will be away from home for more than six months. You can register at two addresses at the same time, but must only vote using one address.

Find out how to register to vote if you're a student.

People who are homeless

If you have no fixed address you can still get on the electoral register. To do this, you need to make a declaration of local connection. It means you can use an address, or a nearby place, where you spend a lot of time - a local day centre for example - instead of a home address.

Find out more about registering to vote if you're experiencing homelessness.

British nationals overseas

If you live abroad you may still vote in parliamentary elections, but won’t be able to vote in local elections. You can appear on the electoral register for up to 15 years after leaving the UK. 

Find out more about registering to vote as a British national overseas.

Young people aged 16 to 18

You can add your name to the electoral register as soon as you become 16. You will only qualify to vote in an election if you become 18 on or before the day of the election.

Find out more and register on the government's website.

Prisoners

Convicted prisoners can’t register to vote. If you are on remand, you can register to vote using the address where you are held.