uk general election

UK General Election July 4th 2024

 

UoS - It's time to make your voice heard! If you haven't heard already, we're here to let you know that the UK General Election has been called. The general election, which typically happens every 5 years, decides who leads the country and makes key decisions on education, healthcare, and more—things that directly impact your life as a student and beyond. This is your opportunity to influence who represents you and how your community is run.

You need to be registered to vote before you are allowed to vote in elections or referendums in the UK. 

Registering to vote usually takes about 5 minutes, and once you are registered it means you can vote in any UK election or referendum that you are eligible to vote in. 

We have set out the most important information students need to know about registering to vote. Click the button below to register:

You need to register to vote on the UK Government’s website: Register to Vote.

You will be asked to provide your name, your date of birth, your nationality and your National Insurance number.

If you do not know your National Insurance number, you can get assistance in finding it here: https://www.gov.uk/lost-national-insurance-number

 

 

Students are allowed to register to vote at more than one address if they consider both places to be a permanent home. We know that students often split their time between their term-time address and their home address, so it's important that you are registered at both. Depending on the election, you may also be able to vote in both locations. In General Elections, referendums and devolved parliamentary elections it is illegal to vote in two places, but in other elections, such as council elections you can vote in both areas as long as the addresses are in different council areas.

You have to register to vote every time you change address. We know that students change address more than most people, so it’s important that students double check that they are registered to vote. You also need to register again if you have changed your name or nationality.

 

 

There are different rules about the minimum voting age in different UK elections. In England and Northern Ireland you must be aged 16 or over to register to vote, but in Scotland and Wales you must be 14 or over. This is because the minimum voting age in some elections in Scotland and Wales is 16, compared to 18 in the rest of the UK. The minimum voting age in General Elections is 18.

You do not have to be a British citizen to vote in UK elections or referendums. There are different rules on whether you can vote depending on your nationality in different UK elections. Use this tool to find out which elections you can vote in: Can I vote?

The deadline to register to vote in the UK election is June 18th 11:59pm.

 

Being registered to vote could improve your credit score, because banks and other lenders often use the Electoral Roll to help verify your identity. This could help when it comes to things like taking out a mobile phone contract, especially if you do not have a long credit history. It could also help if you’re looking to buy a car, rent, or even secure a mortgage.

New laws mean you now have to show photo ID to vote at polling stations in General Elections in the UK. This was already the law in Northern Ireland. You can find a full list of accepted voter IDs in each UK nation via Electoral Commission here.

NUS have teamed up with CitizenCard to offer a FREE Voter ID (usually £18) to any student or young person who needs it. Sign up for your FREE CitizenCard and find out more about Photo ID below.

 


New laws mean you now have to show photo ID to vote at polling stations in some UK elections - including General Elections. 

What counts as Photo ID at Elections?

You can find a full list of accepted voter IDs in each UK nation via the Electoral Commission here.

These include: Passport, Driving licence, Blue Badge, PASS card, Voter Authority Certificate and more. PASS cards are not accepted in Northern Ireland - find a list of accepted ID in Northern Ireland here.

The photo ID needs to be the original version and not a photocopy. You can still use your photo ID if it's out of date, as long as it looks like you. The name on your ID should be the same name you used to register to vote.

Students can get a FREE Voter ID from CitizenCard using the code 'NUS'!

NUS have teamed up with CitizenCard to offer a FREE Voter ID (usually £18) to any student or young person who needs it.

Sign up for your FREE CitizenCard here: https://www.nus.org.uk/citizencard

You can use the card to prove your age and identity - enter pubs, clubs, take domestic flights, use as Voter ID and buy age-restricted goods in shops. Please note this cannot be used as voter ID in Northern Ireland.