Electoral Registration

The Electoral Register

The canvass for the Electoral Register takes place between 1 September and 1 December each year. A new Register is published on 1 December.

If you are not registered or if you change address during the course of the year, you can apply to register at your current address at any time. The date at which you will be added to the Register depends on the point in the month at which you apply. Normally it will take between two and six weeks. Special rules apply during the canvass period.

The Right to Vote

Details on the right to vote can be found on the Electoral Registration pages, found by clicking on one of the links shown in the Related Information pane on the right of this page. The distinction between parliamentary and local government elections is important as the regimes differ.

Persons under the Age of 18

While no-one can vote until they are eighteen, names can be added to the Register showing their date of birth up to two years before they achieve voting age. They may not legally vote before their 18th birthday.