How to register to vote in the European elections

Anti-Brexit campaigners wave Union and European Union flags outside the Houses of Parliament. Photo: PA Wire/PA Images

EU citizens living in the United Kingdom could lose their right to vote after Brexit – so campaigners are urging people to vote in the forthcoming local and European elections.

European Parliament elections are currently scheduled to take place in the UK on 23rd May, and will take place providing no Brexit deal is agreed before hand.

The UK is currently represented by 73 MEPs at the European Parliament and in these elections you will elect between three and 10 MEPs for your region.

These are the factors that make you eligible to vote in the EU elections:

• 18 years of age or over on polling day

• A British citizen, a qualifying Commonwealth citizen, or a citizen of the European Union

• A resident in the UK

• A UK citizen living abroad who has been registered to vote in the UK in the last 15 years

• Not be subject to any legal incapacity to vote

How to apply to vote if you are an EU citizen living in the UK

If you’re a citizen of a European Union country and live in the UK, you can either vote in the UK or in your home country, but you can’t vote twice.

You need to have registered to vote and then completed a second form stating you wish to vote in the UK (not your home country) by 7th May 2019.

To vote in the UK, you need to:

• Ensure you are registered to vote (you can make sure by filling out this form)

• Complete this second form stating you wish to vote in the UK and not in your home country.

• Return your second form by post. Details of where to send the forms can be found here.

If you live in Northern Ireland the proccess differs. You can find out more here.

How to apply to vote if you are a UK national living in the UK

You need to make sure you are registered to vote by 7th May 2019.

The following cannot vote in these elections:

• Anyone other than British, qualifying Commonwealth or European Union citizens

• Convicted persons detained in pursuance of their sentences, excluding contempt of court (though remand prisoners, unconvicted prisoners and civil risoners can vote if they are on the electoral register)

• Anyone found guilty within the previous five years of corrupt or illegal practices in connection with an election

How can I vote?

• If you are registered to vote, you will receive a polling card, which will have the address of the polling station where you can go to cast your vote. Polling stations will be open between 7.00 and 22.00. If you have not received a polling card, you should contact your local authority.

• You can apply for a postal vote up to 11 working days before the poll here.