Register to vote

Individual electoral registration

Individual electoral registration was introduced nationally in June 2014.

Each person is now responsible for registering themselves and providing their date of birth and National Insurance number as identification.

Being on the electoral register could also improve an individual’s credit rating.

Forthcoming elections

The next scheduled election will be the Local Government Elections which will be held on Thursday 3 May 2018.

To be able to vote

To vote at elections your name must be on the electoral register and you must be:

  • 18 years of age or over on polling day.
  • A British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen.
  • resident at an address in the UK (or a UK citizen living abroad who has been registered to vote in the UK in the last 15 years)

Register to vote

Register to vote

Please fill in your personal information as requested.

You’ll need your National Insurance number, you can find this on:

  • your National Insurance card
  • official paperwork such as payslips
  • letters about benefits or tax credits.

When and if your information is verified, we will send you an acknowledgement letter.

If necessary, registration officers will cross-reference the information provided against national databases and other council records such as council tax before a person is added to the register.

If it’s not possible to verify your details we will write to you requiring you to provide documentary evidence such as a valid passport or photo driving licence to enable us to determine your application for inclusion on the electoral register.

You can also register here if you are:

  • A British citizen living overseas
  • A member of HM Forces
  • A Crown servant
  • A British Council employee

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