British citizens can still register to vote in UK elections: Cayman News Agency

(CNS): British citizens living abroad are eligible to UK General Election Voters who registered before midnight on Tuesday 18 June can still register to vote on July 4. The Electoral Commission is urging voters to register now and to apply for an absentee ballot if they will not be in the UK on polling day. This is the first time that UK citizens will be eligible to vote, regardless of how long they have lived outside the UK.

Before the law was changed, British citizens who had lived abroad for more than 15 years lost their right to vote. Now, they may be eligible to regain that right. Since the 15-year rule was abolished on January 16, 2024, more than 100,000 applications have been submitted by British citizens living abroad to register to vote.

Applicants will need to provide details of the address and time they were last registered or resident in the UK. The Electoral Registration Officer responsible for the electoral roll for their area must be able to verify the applicant’s identity and past connection with the area.

Craig Westwood, the head of communications at the UK Electoral Commission, urged people living abroad who want to have their say to register now. “It no longer matters how long you have lived outside the UK. If you are eligible, you can register and have your say at the ballot box,” he said.

“As an overseas voter you must prove you have a connection to the electorate where you last registered to vote, or to where you live if you have never registered before. We know there are eligible voters around the world, so we’re appealing to anyone who has friends or family overseas to help spread the word and let them know to register before the deadline.”

You can apply online here.

Many overseas voters will also need to apply for an absentee ballot if they are away from home on July 4. It is now also possible to apply online for a postal or proxy vote in the UK.

look: Apply for a postal vote and Apply for proxy voting.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5:00pm BST on 19 June and the deadline to apply for a proxy vote is 5:00pm BST on 26 June. Proxy voting (having someone you trust vote for you) may be a preferred option for people who live further away and are concerned about how long it will take to receive and return a postal ballot.

To find out if they are eligible to vote, British citizens overseas can call the local authority where they last registered to vote or where they last lived in the UK. Details of local authorities can be found on the Electoral Commission website Enter the postcode of their last place of residence in the UK.