On this page:
Who can register?
How to register
What to do if you can’t go your polling station to vote
Voter ID
Who to vote for?
Reminder of important dates
On Thursday 4 July 2024, the UK will be holding a general election.
Here’s what you need to know about how to check if you can vote in this election, to make sure you’re registered at the right address and how to get a photo ID if you need one.
Politics impacts almost every aspect of your day-to-day life, from education and the economy to healthcare, housing, transport and the environment. And your vote counts. When you vote in a general election, you help choose who represents you in parliament and makes decisions on your behalf.
Who can register?
A person can register to vote if they are aged 18 or over on polling day and are either a British citizen resident in the UK, or a qualifying citizen from the Republic of Ireland or a Commonwealth country who is resident in the UK.
The list of Commonwealth countries includes Canada, India, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, Cameroon, Mozambique and many more. You can check at canivote.org.uk.
You can also use Gov.uk to confirm which elections you’re eligible to vote in.
YouTube Video
How to register
You were asked if you wanted to register to vote in Leicester as part of DMU’s student registration (or re-registration) process. If you still need to register to vote, all you need is your National Insurance number.
It only takes a couple of minutes to fill in the online form. Make sure you register by 11:59pm on Tuesday 18 June for the election in July.
Register now on Gov.uk
You normally only need to register once – not for every election. You’ll need to register again if you’ve changed your name, address or nationality.
You can register to vote at both your home and term-time address, if they are different. However, this doesn’t mean that you can vote twice. You’ll have to decide where you want to vote.
You’ll be sent polling cards at your registered address(es) which tell you where to go to vote. Polls are open from 7am to 10pm on election day, Thursday 4 July.
If you need to check if you are registered at a UK address, you should contact the Electoral Registration Office that covers your local area.
What to do if you can’t go your polling station to vote
If you are unable to go to your local polling station, you can register for a postal vote, which you can send in ahead of polling day, or a proxy vote, where you appoint someone you trust to vote in your place. You must already be registered to vote before applying for a postal or proxy vote.
The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on Wednesday 19 June, and for a proxy vote the deadline is 5pm on Wednesday 26 June. If you are going away, especially abroad, apply as soon as possible so you can have voting plans in place in plenty of time.
Voter ID
Since 2023, voters in England now need to show a valid photo ID to vote at polling stations in most elections. Make sure you have the correct photo ID or get one as soon as possible, unless you are using a postal vote.
Only certain types of photo ID are accepted, such as a passport or driving licence. Please note that a university ID card or student union card are not valid, however, the NUS is offering a free CitizenCard (normally £18), which is acceptable as voter ID. The deadline to apply for this card is Thursday 20 June.
Alternatively, you can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate. For this you must provide a photo, full name, date of birth, the address at which you are registered to vote and your National Insurance number. The deadline to order one of these is 5pm on Wednesday 26 June.
Who to vote for?
Boundary changes mean that your constituency may have altered since the last election.
Go to WhoCanIVoteFor.co.uk and enter a postcode to find all your local candidates. There’s information and weblinks for each one so you can learn more about them.
Reminder of important dates:
Tuesday 18 June, 11:59pm: Deadline to register to vote (if you are not already registered or your details have changed)
Wednesday 19 June, 5pm: Deadline to apply for a postal vote
Thursday 20 June: Deadline to apply for a free CitizenCard through the NUS
Wednesday 26 June, 5pm: Deadline to apply for a proxy vote
Wednesday 26 June, 5pm: Deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate if you still need a valid form of voter ID
Thursday July 4: Election day across the UK. Polls will open from 7am to 10pm, with results coming in overnight.
Posted on Monday 3 June 2024