Message for UK nationals living overseas on how to register to vote in the UK election

[Rimmer]

Message for UK nationals living overseas on how to register to vote in the UK election
This week the UK Electoral Commission has launched a dedicated overseas voter registration campaign. The campaign aims to encourage British citizens living overseas to register to vote ahead of the UK Parliamentary General Election, due to take place on Thursday 7 May 2015.

This is the first UK General Election where people can register to vote online. The Electoral Commission hopes that the new online process will encourage more UK nationals living overseas to register to take part in elections from overseas.

Estimates show that there may be as many as 5.5 million UK nationals living overseas, but there are fewer than 20,000 currently on the electoral registers.

To register as an overseas voter, UK residents overseas must have previously been registered in a UK constituency within the last fifteen years.

To register to vote, UK citizens should visit https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Overseas voters can choose how they want to vote. They can vote either by post, by proxy or even in person (if they will be in their constituency on polling day). The deadline to register to vote is midnight (BST) on Monday 20 April 2015. The deadline for applications for postal votes is 5pm (BST) on Tuesday 21 April 2015. The deadline for applications for proxy votes is 5pm (BST) on Tuesday 28 April 2015. Overseas voters should apply as far in advance of this as possible.

- See more at: http://www.pattayamail.com/localnews/message-for-uk-nationals-living-overseas-on-how-to-register-to-vote-in-the-uk-election-44908#sthash.5EP17eIx.dpuf

-- Pattaya Mail 2015-02-13

[naboo]

I'm not telling them where I live. Ba$***ds.

Labour and Tories are public school educated career politicians with no idea of what life is like, the Liberal Democrats are liars, the Green Party are anti-science hippies, UKIP are just ignorant and playing up to the ignorant masses, the only one I would vote for is Bez, but he's not standing in my (former) constituency.

Never voted for one of them in all my life, spoiled my ballot paper every time. Not one of them represents me. I'm not going to tell them where I am, I'm not going to vote for them. Ba$tard$.

[robertthebruce]

Glad to say that they think I still live in the UK , which suits me and always will.

Tell them Nowt.... Unless it's to my advantage...

[bangkokowl]

I baulked at the idea of telling them my address too, chances are I'll not vote. I'm still on the register in England, no intention of returning anytime soon.

Edited February 13, 2015 by bangkokowl

[Porkster]

It doesn't say anything about expats?

Can expats vote now or not?

[CharlieH]

It doesn't say anything about expats?

Can expats vote now or not?

As the article says ...."To register as an overseas voter, UK residents overseas must have previously been registered in a UK constituency within the last fifteen years"

[Porkster]

I couldn't find that but I'll take your word for it, but it still doesn't answer my question...

Your copied text just states "UK residents", it doesn't mention expats.

So I'm guessing the answer to my question is No then, as it always has been for expats.

Expats vote...

Edited February 24, 2015 by Porkster

[lungbing]

You do realise that you are only registering online that you want to vote. You will not be voting online.

You register, you send them a request form and they send you the voting paper 4 days before the election.

Unless you chose a proxy, of course, who will then vote for you at your registered voting station.

But you will still not be voting online.

[Porkster]

Registering.... Voting.... I didn't really want to split hairs but it's been done now...

I wanted to vote last year which was when I realised they'd changed it to 15 years which made me an Expat as of January last year.

Therefor I could not vote/register.

Can expats vote/register or not?

[evadgib]

UK residents overseas will be able to vote in UK's General Election

[Eff1n2ret]

Registering.... Voting.... I didn't really want to split hairs but it's been done now...

I wanted to vote last year which was when I realised they'd changed it to 15 years which made me an Expat as of January last year.

Therefor I could not vote/register.

Can expats vote/register or not?

I suppose the "hair-splitting" arises from your very literal interpretation of the sentence in the original article -

"To register as an overseas voter, UK residents overseas must have previously been registered in a UK constituency within the last fifteen years."

In a sense, you are right to query this clumsy wording. A "UK resident overseas" would be someone who lives in the UK and has gone to Benidorm for his holidays. The correct phrase would be "UK citizens resident overseas", thus any Brit who lives abroad and has done so for not more than 15 years is entitled to register to vote in UK national and EU Parliamentary elections, and national referendums.

If you do register, be aware that the registration has to be renewed on an annual basis. I didn't know this, so was denied my right to vote in last year's EU-election because the document allegedly sent by the local council never turned up - same as you will only know that the life certificate has gone astray when they stop paying your pension.

[evadgib]

A written reply from farage seen recently advises anyone in this position to re register during any routine trip to UK in order to restart the 15 year clock.

HTH

[Porkster]

A written reply from farage seen recently advises anyone in this position to re register during any routine trip to UK in order to restart the 15 year clock.

HTH

Is that right!

I'll give it a go next time I'm there.

But how do you register as a "UK resident" if you don't have an address there?

[draftvader]

Off-topic posts and replies removed. This is about how to register to vote in the upcoming UK elections if you are based overseas. There are always plenty of UK based news items in World News that will provide an outlet for the content posted here.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/forum/158-world-news/

Thank you for your understanding.

[Eff1n2ret]

A written reply from farage seen recently advises anyone in this position to re register during any routine trip to UK in order to restart the 15 year clock.

HTH

Is that right!

I'll give it a go next time I'm there.

But how do you register as a "UK resident" if you don't have an address there?

I also wondered what Farage meant. Trawling round the gov.uk website about registering to vote I came across the application form for applying by post (presumably the online application is much the same):-

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/320073/Ordinary_registration_English.pdf

If you can sensibly fill that in, presumably you can get registered. Two things to bear in mind - 1) voting fraud is a bit of a sensitive subject these days and the form mentions a penalty of 5 thousand quid or 6 months inside if you give false information. 2) If you use someone else's address it could affect their liability to council tax, particularly if the person living there claims the 25% discount for sole occupancy, or if claiming benefits those might be affected.

I'm sure Farage's heart is in the right place on this matter, why should there be any time limit, but maybe he didn't think his soundbite through.