Make your voice heard at the General election

On Thursday 4 July there will be a General Election.

Research from the Electoral Commission shows that students are one of the least likely groups registered to vote. As a student you can register to vote at both your term-time and home address, just make sure you only vote at one.

Here’s what you need to know so you can vote in the general election.

Are you eligible to vote?

To vote in a general election someone must:

Be 18 or over on the day of the election (in this instance 4 July 2024)
Be a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen
Be a resident at an address in the UKk (or a British citizen living abroad who has been registered to vote in the UK in the last 15 years)
Not be legally excluded from voting
Be registered to vote

Still unsure? You can check if you are eligible on Gov.uk webpages or on UKCISA pages.

How do I register to vote?

Firstly, you can check to see if you are already registered to vote on the Electoral Commission’s website.

If you know for certain you are not yet registered to vote, you can do so online on the Government’s website. You must register to vote by the 18 June to be eligible to vote on 4 July.

Bring photo ID

Rules implemented in 2022 mean that you now have to bring photo ID with you to a polling station when voting in person on the day.

Photo ID includes:

Passport
Driving licence
Other ID similar to a passport

If you don’t have any photo ID you can apply for a free voter ID document called a Voter Authority Certificate. The deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate is 26 June.

Your Student ID is not a valid form of photo ID.

Going to be away on polling day?

If you are going to be unable to vote in person at your chosen address on 4 July, you can plan ahead and apply to vote by post or proxy. You may also choose to do this if you would like to vote at your university address but are now at home or vice versa.

To vote by post you must apply to do this by 19 June. You will then be sent a voting card to complete and return prior to 4 July.
To vote by proxy you must apply to do this by 26 June. Choosing to vote by proxy means that you will be nominating someone to vote on your behalf on 4 July.

What will happen on Thursday 4 July?

Polling stations will be open from 07:00 until 22:00.

Once you have registered to vote you will be sent a poll card. This will have details on it for the polling station where you must go to vote in person. If you do not receive a poll card but believe you should have, you will need to contact your local Electoral Registration Office.

On 4 July, when you arrive at the polling station you should:

Give your name and address to staff inside the polling station when you arrive
Show your photo ID to confirm your identity
Take your ballot paper which will have a list of people, parties or options you can vote for on to a polling booth
Follow the instructions on the ballot paper to vote
Submit your vote

You can learn more about voting as a young person on the Electoral Commission website.

Registering to vote is quick and easy to do and ensures you can make your voice heard. Try and avoid missing this opportunity.