Why register to vote?
Being registered to vote enables you to play a part in the UK’s decision-making processes at both local and national levels. It gives you the opportunity to choose who represents you and ensures that issues affecting students play a central part in UK politics. The Electoral Commission has found that young people, students, and those who have just moved are often the least likely groups to be registered to vote so it’s important your voice is heard.
Once you’re registered to vote your name will be included on the Electoral Register. This can be useful in proving your identity and home address and will help if you want to apply for a rental agreement, credit card, or mobile phone contract.
Am I eligible to vote?
The Electoral Commission provides helpful information on who is eligible to vote in different elections. This depends on your citizenship, your age and where you live. International students may be able to vote in the UK depending on their nationality and citizenship.
How do I register to vote?
Registering to vote is easy and only takes a few minutes. You normally need to register only once but you’ll need to register again if you’ve changed your name, address, or nationality. Once you've registered, your name will appear on two versions of the electoral register – the full version and the open version. The open version is available to anyone who wants to buy a copy and you can opt out of the open register.
You can use the registration service to:
- get on the electoral register
- update your name, address or nationality
- get on or off the open register
If you're living away from home while studying at the University of Westminster, you can register to vote at both your home address and your term-time address. For some elections, you can choose to vote at both addresses and you can find further information about this on the Electoral Commission website. Once you've registered to vote, your local Electoral Registration Office will check each application and confirm if you can register in both areas.
Am I already registered to vote?
If you’re not sure if you're already registered to vote you can check with your local Electoral Registration Office.
Which elections can I vote in?
The types of elections and referendums that you can vote in can be found on the Government website.
Voter photo ID
Please note that voters in England are now required to show photo ID to vote at a polling station in some elections. If you don't have the relevant Photo ID you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate.