Bassetlaw District Council is calling on residents to let friends and family living abroad know about changes to voter registration in UK general elections.
Brits who have lived overseas for more than 15 years will now be able to apply to vote after the introduction of a new law, which includes those who have previously lived in or been registered to vote in the UK.
David Armiger, Returning Officer at Bassetlaw District Council said: “This change means more British citizens now living abroad who previously lived in Bassetlaw may be eligible to register to vote in UK general elections, either in person, to apply to vote by post or by proxy.”
“If they want to have their say at the next general election, they need to be registered. It only takes five minutes and can be done online.”
The Government estimates the end of the 15-year rule could mean three million more British citizens could be eligible to vote in UK parliament elections.
Those applying will need to provide details of the address and time they were last registered or resident and Bassetlaw District Council must be able to verify their identity and past connection to the area.
Overseas voters will also only need to register every three years, rather than one.
You can apply to vote by visiting www.gov.uk/registertovote
More information is available on the Electoral Commission’s website, along with a post code lookup tool that helps voters living overseas find the contact details for their local authority, using the postcode of the last place they lived in the UK.
Last Updated on Wednesday, May 8, 2024