[Politics] Overseas Brits, register here to vote!

[Herr Tubthumper]

Don’t miss out!

Register to vote

Register to vote to take part in elections in the UK. Includes how to get on the electoral register and how to update your address on the register.

www.gov.uk

 

[US Seagull]

Their site seems a little cagey about actually spelling out whether or not you can or can't vote. I've been out of the UK since the late 90's and never bothered to vote from abroad. I looked at it once, but it seemed like a massive faff to register at the time (I think you had to find another Brit - who isn't family, to vouch for you, which seemed too much for an introvert like me).

My UK passport is long since expired (since I have a US one now) anyway. As much as I'd like to f*** the Tories, it doesn't feel right to vote in a election of a place I haven't lived in for 20+ years.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Their site seems a little cagey about actually spelling out whether or not you can or can't vote. I've been out of the UK since the late 90's and never bothered to vote from abroad. I looked at it once, but it seemed like a massive faff to register at the time (I think you had to find another Brit - who isn't family, to vouch for you, which seemed too much for an introvert like me).

My UK passport is long since expired (since I have a US one now) anyway. As much as I'd like to f*** the Tories, it doesn't feel right to vote in an election of a place I haven't lived in for 20+ years.

If you are a Brit living overseas you can vote from overseas. There was a 15 year rule but this was abolished this year.

Changes to overseas voting

Find out more about the removal of the 15 year limit on voting rights for British citizens living overseas.

www.electoralcommission.org.uk

The online application is simple and took me and the Missus about 2 minutes. No need for others to vouch for you. I just took a look and you can apply without a passport.

 

[Weststander]

The 2m Brits living in Spain, France and Portugal include a load of older folk who went to escape Woke and (ironically) immigrant Britain. Overwhelming the soya latte hipsters sniffing around Brussels and The Hague.

Natural Reform and Tory voters.

 

[Badger]

I've been keeping my voting registration updated every year.

 

[nicko31]

Don’t miss out!

Register to vote

Register to vote to take part in elections in the UK. Includes how to get on the electoral register and how to update your address on the register.

www.gov.uk

Thanks, sending to friends in France, 5 more votes for Labour.

 

[knocky1]

If you are a Brit living overseas you can vote from overseas. There was a 15 year rule but this was abolished this year.

Changes to overseas voting

Find out more about the removal of the 15 year limit on voting rights for British citizens living overseas.

www.electoralcommission.org.uk

The online application is simple and took me and the Missus about 2 minutes. No need for others to vouch for you. I just took a look and you can apply without a passport.

Madness.
What decides the constituency the leavers () can vote for?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Madness.
What decides the constituency the leavers () can vote for?

Last address.

 

[nicko31]

Interesting the Tories did this, my only guess is they thought somehow they'd secure more votes on the back of it.

5.5m Brits living overseas

 

[North of Robertsbridge]

Especially as the reason that Brexit passed was that Cameron thought he’d save a million quid by not organising a vote for UK citizens resident in the EU

 

[Petunia]

I know I could register and vote, but without a proxy there is zero chance of a postal vote getting to me and back in time.

 

[US Seagull]

If you are a Brit living overseas you can vote from overseas. There was a 15 year rule but this was abolished this year.

Changes to overseas voting

Find out more about the removal of the 15 year limit on voting rights for British citizens living overseas.

www.electoralcommission.org.uk

The online application is simple and took me and the Missus about 2 minutes. No need for others to vouch for you. I just took a look and you can apply without a passport.

Fails now for me when they ask for my NI number. I did have one, at one time, but I obviously have zero idea what it is. You can, apparently, recover it, with a valid passport, which I don't have, since mine expired.

 

[Albion my Albion]

Donald Trump loves it when people register online to vote.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Interesting the Tories did this, my only guess is they thought somehow they'd secure more votes on the back of it.

5.5m Brits living overseas

It was the Tories which brought in the 15 year time limit, and the Tories which then removed it.

 

[tedebear]

I'm the opposite a qualifying commonwealth citizen, so I'll be voting as I always have...

 

[Boroseagull]

I feel as if I'm in a Catch 22 position - paying taxes in Spain but no vote, and having a vote in the UK but not paying taxes there. I suppose the only justification for me to vote in the UK would be asking my daughter who she wants me to vote for as it's her future.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I feel as if I'm in a Catch 22 position - paying taxes in Spain but no vote, and having a vote in the UK but not paying taxes there. I suppose the only justification for me to vote in the UK would be asking my daughter who she wants me to vote for as it's her future.

I’m similar. Although I pay all my personal tax in Germany I do pay a small amount of business tax in the UK. This will stop shortly as I don’t have any UK clients now.

That said, I think it’s perfectly valid for expats to vote regardless of this.

 

[Ali_rrr]

Thanks @Herr Tubthumper!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Thanks @Herr Tubthumper!

A pleasure, its good to vote!

 

[Trufflehound]

A pleasure, its good to vote!

It's more than good. It should be compulsory in my opinion (as it is in Belgium and some other places). It's a civic duty. Although all voting forms should have a 'none of the above' option for when all the candidates are shit, which they often are.

As someone wise once said, if you don't choose the government, then someone else will choose it for you.


I'm currently trying to set up my sister in Hove as a proxy to vote on my behalf (otherwise I'll have to trust the international post, which is useless these days...)