If you are eligible to vote in an election, you must register to vote in order to cast your vote on election day.

If you aren’t registered to vote, you won’t have a say on the person who is elected to represent you. So make sure you register to vote!

Registering to vote only takes 5 minutes online if you have your address and your National Insurance number to hand. 

Do it now!

What do I need to register to vote?

First of all, make sure you are eligible to vote by looking at our “Can I Vote in the Elections” guide.

When you have confirmed you are eligible to vote, you can register to vote online. It only takes five minutes!

You will need to provide some basic information about yourself, including:

• Your name
• Your date of birth
• Your address
• Your email address
• Your National Insurance number

I do not have or I can’t find my National Insurance number. What do I do?

You can find your National Insurance number on your National Insurance card, or on official paperwork, such as payslips, letters about benefits, tax credits, or a student loan application.

If you cannot find or do not have a National Insurance number, you are still eligible to vote!

The online application will ask you why you do not have your National Insurance number. If you cannot find your National Insurance number, you can just write ‘I cannot find my NI number’ in the form. If you do not have a National Insurance number for another reason, you can write this down.

Your local authority will then ask you to provide more evidence to prove that you are eligible to vote. You may receive an email, a phone call, or a letter from your local council asking you for more information to prove you are eligible to vote. They may ask you for a copy of your passport, and other official documents.

This process can take longer than applying online. If you are having any problems, you can get in contact with your local electoral registration office – find your nearest one here.

I do not have a fixed or permanent address – what do I do?

If you do not have a fixed address, you are still entitled to vote and can still register!

You may not have a fixed address because you are:

• a patient in a mental health hospital
• homeless
• a merchant seaman
• part of the gypsy or travelling community
• living on a boat or other movable residence
• a person remanded in custody

If you do not have a fixed address, you need to download a paper form, fill it out, and take it to your nearest electoral registration office. You can find your nearest electoral registration office by clicking here and entering a postcode to somewhere you will be near.

In this form, you will need to provide:

• Your name
• Your date of birth
• Your nationality
• Your National insurance Number

If you need any help filling out the form, you can contact your local electoral registration office. You can call them, or go in person, and they will be able to help you fill in the form.

What is a ‘Postal Vote’ and how do I apply for one?

A postal vote is where you vote by post. You do not need to provide a reason why you want to apply for a postal vote.

A postal vote is the easiest and safest way to vote during the coronavirus pandemic. It may be helpful if:

• You’re away from home on election day (either overseas or in another part of the country)
• You will be otherwise unable to go to the polling station

You can apply to vote by post in two ways:

• When you are registering to vote online
• If you have already registered to vote, by applying for a postal vote here

 You must return your postal vote application form by 5pm, 11 working days before the poll. If you are not already registered to vote, you must register before applying for a postal vote. The deadline to register to vote I midnight, 12 working days before the poll. Register online at gov.uk/register-to-vote

When voting by post, you should:

• mark your vote on your ballot paper in secret
• fill in the postal voting statement
• put the ballot and statement in the envelope provided
• seal the envelope yourself

The deadline to send in your postal vote will be before the day of the general election. If you do not send in your postal vote on time, you can take your postal vote to your local polling station on election day.

You can find out more information about postal voting here.

What does ‘Voting by Proxy’ mean, and how do I apply for it?

Voting by proxy is where someone else goes to vote on your behalf.

This might be helpful if:

• You have a medical issue or disabilities
• You are away on polling day (either overseas or in another part of the country)
• You are unable to vote on election day because of your employment

You need to give a valid reason why you cannot vote in person to apply for a proxy vote. You will often need someone to sign your application form to confirm your reasons for applying for a proxy vote. The application form will tell you who needs to sign it.

Anyone can be your proxy vote, so long as they are eligible and registered to vote in the election themselves. You can also change who your proxy vote is.

You can find out more information on ‘Voting by Proxy’, and how to apply for a proxy vote, on the government’s website here. The application forms can be found here – you must select which one is most appropriate depending on why you are applying for a proxy vote. Once you have filled in the form, you must send it to your local electoral registration office, which you can find by by clicking here.