The UK is set to head for the polls on Thursday, July 4, for a general election. Rishi Sunak announced his decision last week after months of speculation about when it would take place this year.
Elections will be held in 650 constituencies across the UK to decide the largest party in the House of Commons, and in turn, the UK’s prime minister. This announcement has left some students confused about how and where they can vote on July 4.
Students are technically living at two addresses if they include their family home. Thankfully, students are able to register to vote in both places, but they can only vote in one.
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If you are moving before the election, but after the cut-off to register to vote, you can’t register to vote at your new address in advance. However, you can register to vote from your current address, even if you’ll have left by July 4.
Voting at your old address should not count as voter fraud, MyLondon understands. However, anyone in this situation should contact their local electoral registration officer for more information about what to do. The government website has an online search tool to help find their local officer. Click here for more information.
You can search for your postcode using this government link to find out which constituency you live in. Make sure to register to vote before the deadline at 11.59pm on Thursday, June 18.
Postal and proxy votes are available if you’re unable to vote in person. The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on Wednesday, June 19. To vote by proxy, the deadline is 5pm on Wednesday, June 26.
July 4 will be the first general election where ID is required to vote. There are 22 forms of acceptable ID which include a driving licence, passport and PASS card.
The NUS warned students earlier this year that student cards are not an acceptable form of ID. To view the full list of acceptable ID click here.
