Brexit voting lunacy

[daveAustin]

Yes sir in 1776 the USA did the correct thing and toss you hooligans out.

We tossed ourselves out.

I agree with the op, the UK system cares less and less of its own citizens it seems, too overly concerned in making sure non-blood Brits are comfortable. No doubt a guilt complex through treading on various peoples during the colonial era... also being part of PC-mad EU hasn't helped. I would feel awkward waving a flag 'back home'. Sad.

[canopus1969]

Am now confused, from the Brit Embassy BKK :

PRESS RELEASE

10 May 2016

Too many UK expats are still not #ReferendumReady

A survey of UK citizens living overseas carried out by the UK Electoral Commission has found that half of respondents don’t know that they can now register online to vote in the UK.

To make sure that British expats are #ReferendumReady, the elections watchdog is reminding them that it’s possible to apply in just a few minutes at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. Before online registration became available in 2014, applicants had to complete a paper application and post it back to their local electoral office. It is now possible to complete an application online in five minutes with just your National Insurance number and passport to hand, which also removes the need for overseas voters to provide an attestation when these details are provided.

To register as an overseas voter, UK residents overseas must have previously been registered in a UK constituency within the last 15 years. Anyone who is unsure if they are registered to vote should contact their last UK local authority to check their status.

The Commission is calling on expats to register to vote by 16 May if they want to vote by post in the EU Referendum. This is so they have enough time to receive and return their postal ballot. They don’t even need to wait for their registration to be confirmed before choosing how they wish to vote. Expats can vote by post, by proxy (voting by appointing someone you trust to vote on your behalf), or even in person at their polling station if they will be in their local authority area on polling day.

It should be easier to vote by post for this referendum as postal votes will be sent out earlier than usual, giving overseas voters further time to receive, complete, and return their ballot pack to the UK. However anyone who doesn’t think they can return postal vote papers in time or is applying after 16 May should consider voting by proxy. If you don't think you can return them in time, you may want to consider voting by proxy. If you don't think you can return them in time, you may want to consider voting by proxy.

The Commission’s survey of UK expats was aimed at gaining an understanding of their knowledge of and attitude towards their voting rights but was not designed to be representative of the estimated 5.5 million UK citizens living overseas.

At the 2015 General Election there were almost 106,000 overseas electors on the register, three times the number that were on the register ahead of the previous general election in 2010 and the highest number of overseas voters registered ever.

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

Notes to editors

1. The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. Our aim is integrity and public confidence in the UK’s democratic process. We regulate party and election finance and set standards for well-run elections.
2. The survey gained responses from over 4700 UK citizens living overseas. It was distributed via the expat website, AngloINFO mainly to expats living in Europe and is therefore not representative of the UK expat population.
3. When asked if they are currently registered to vote in UK elections, of those respondents who have lived outside of the UK for 15 years or fewer (and may be eligible to vote in the EU Referendum) 22% said they aren’t registered; 20% said they don’t know their registration status; while 58% reported being registered to vote.
4. When asked if they thought if UK citizens living overseas can register online to vote in UK elections, of those respondents who have lived outside of the UK for 15 years or fewer (and may be eligible to vote in the EU Referendum), 50% thought this was true; 20% thought it false; and 30% did not know.
5. When asked if they thought UK citizens overseas are eligible to vote in the EU Referendum, 75% of respondents thought this statement was true, while 25% thought it was untrue (among all respondents, including those that have lived outside the UK for longer than 15 years).
6. Contact details for local authorities can be found at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk
7. The Electoral Commission is encouraging UK citizens living overseas to register to vote by 16 May if they want to vote by post to leave time for them to apply for a postal vote and then be able to receive and return it to the UK. Those who want to appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf can register to vote by 7 June.
8. If overseas voters don’t have a National Insurance number they can still register but they may be asked to supply more information to confirm their identity. If they don’t have a British passport they will be asked to provide an additional statement as part of their application.
9. There have been two relatively recent estimates of the total number of UK citizens living abroad: one by the Institute for Public Policy Research, in 2010 put the number at 5.5 million; whilst another one by the World Bank, in 2010, estimated it to be 4.7 million.
10. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that there were almost 106,000 overseas voters on the UK electoral registers at the time of the 2015 UK Parliamentary General Election.

For more information

Wiriyaporn Posayanonda

Head of Communications

Tel: 0 2305 8261

Mobile: 081 922 5135

Email: [email protected]

Songsang Jatupornsathien

Press Officer

Tel: 0 2305 8218

Mobile: 089 816 3278

Email: [email protected]

[billd766]

Am now confused, from the Brit Embassy BKK :

PRESS RELEASE

10 May 2016

Too many UK expats are still not #ReferendumReady

A survey of UK citizens living overseas carried out by the UK Electoral Commission has found that half of respondents don’t know that they can now register online to vote in the UK.

To make sure that British expats are #ReferendumReady, the elections watchdog is reminding them that it’s possible to apply in just a few minutes at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. Before online registration became available in 2014, applicants had to complete a paper application and post it back to their local electoral office. It is now possible to complete an application online in five minutes with just your National Insurance number and passport to hand, which also removes the need for overseas voters to provide an attestation when these details are provided.

To register as an overseas voter, UK residents overseas must have previously been registered in a UK constituency within the last 15 years. Anyone who is unsure if they are registered to vote should contact their last UK local authority to check their status.

The Commission is calling on expats to register to vote by 16 May if they want to vote by post in the EU Referendum. This is so they have enough time to receive and return their postal ballot. They don’t even need to wait for their registration to be confirmed before choosing how they wish to vote. Expats can vote by post, by proxy (voting by appointing someone you trust to vote on your behalf), or even in person at their polling station if they will be in their local authority area on polling day.

It should be easier to vote by post for this referendum as postal votes will be sent out earlier than usual, giving overseas voters further time to receive, complete, and return their ballot pack to the UK. However anyone who doesn’t think they can return postal vote papers in time or is applying after 16 May should consider voting by proxy. If you don't think you can return them in time, you may want to consider voting by proxy. If you don't think you can return them in time, you may want to consider voting by proxy.

The Commission’s survey of UK expats was aimed at gaining an understanding of their knowledge of and attitude towards their voting rights but was not designed to be representative of the estimated 5.5 million UK citizens living overseas.

At the 2015 General Election there were almost 106,000 overseas electors on the register, three times the number that were on the register ahead of the previous general election in 2010 and the highest number of overseas voters registered ever.

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

Notes to editors

1. The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. Our aim is integrity and public confidence in the UK’s democratic process. We regulate party and election finance and set standards for well-run elections.
2. The survey gained responses from over 4700 UK citizens living overseas. It was distributed via the expat website, AngloINFO mainly to expats living in Europe and is therefore not representative of the UK expat population.
3. When asked if they are currently registered to vote in UK elections, of those respondents who have lived outside of the UK for 15 years or fewer (and may be eligible to vote in the EU Referendum) 22% said they aren’t registered; 20% said they don’t know their registration status; while 58% reported being registered to vote.
4. When asked if they thought if UK citizens living overseas can register online to vote in UK elections, of those respondents who have lived outside of the UK for 15 years or fewer (and may be eligible to vote in the EU Referendum), 50% thought this was true; 20% thought it false; and 30% did not know.
5. When asked if they thought UK citizens overseas are eligible to vote in the EU Referendum, 75% of respondents thought this statement was true, while 25% thought it was untrue (among all respondents, including those that have lived outside the UK for longer than 15 years).
6. Contact details for local authorities can be found at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk
7. The Electoral Commission is encouraging UK citizens living overseas to register to vote by 16 May if they want to vote by post to leave time for them to apply for a postal vote and then be able to receive and return it to the UK. Those who want to appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf can register to vote by 7 June.
8. If overseas voters don’t have a National Insurance number they can still register but they may be asked to supply more information to confirm their identity. If they don’t have a British passport they will be asked to provide an additional statement as part of their application.
9. There have been two relatively recent estimates of the total number of UK citizens living abroad: one by the Institute for Public Policy Research, in 2010 put the number at 5.5 million; whilst another one by the World Bank, in 2010, estimated it to be 4.7 million.
10. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that there were almost 106,000 overseas voters on the UK electoral registers at the time of the 2015 UK Parliamentary General Election.

For more information

Wiriyaporn Posayanonda

Head of Communications

Tel: 0 2305 8261

Mobile: 081 922 5135

Email: [email protected]

Songsang Jatupornsathien

Press Officer

Tel: 0 2305 8218

Mobile: 089 816 3278

Email: [email protected]

There are many UK expats that are ready, that DO take notice of what goes on, that are politically aware, that are aware of what is going on in the UK and in the EU.

To those who are not aware I ask only one simple question.

Why not?

You have the same advantages as the rest of us, the same access to your old county council, the same internet access.

If you took this advantage then good for you.

If you didn't the window of opportunity is closing, do it now, today.

If you don't and don't care what happens to the UK then don't whine at the result, exit or stay.

Why? Because the opportunity for a change is there.

Accept the chance or reject it.

It is YOUR choice and nobody elses.