Register to Vote
Registering to vote
You can register to vote at any time of the year. It’s quick and easy to do so – it only takes a few minutes.
How do I register?
- Go to – www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
- Fill in your name, address, date of birth and a few other details. You’ll also need your national insurance number, which can be found on your national insurance card, or in official paperwork such as payslips, or letters about benefits or tax credits.
- Look out for a confirmation to say you’re registered
Who can register to vote?
You can register if:
- you are 16+ years old (however you can’t vote until you are 18)
- you live in the UK (there are some exceptions for people living abroad)
- you are a British or Irish citizen, a Commonwealth citizen
Find out more about who can vote the Electoral Commission website, including a full list of qualifying EU Countries, Commonwealth Countries, British Overseas Territories and British Crown Dependencies.
Postal votes
Voting by post is an easy and convenient way of voting if you are unable to get to the polling station.
A number of changes to the postal voting system have been introduced by the Government. These include:
- You can apply online to vote by post
- You now have to prove your identity as part of the application process. Both online and paper applications require ID verification
- Voters are not allowed to hand in more than five postal ballot packs (in addition to their own)
- You can hold a postal vote for a maximum period of three years. You need to reapply at the end of that time
Returning your completed postal vote
The Government has introduced changes to the way postal votes should be returned to Hyndburn Borough Council.
They CAN, as normal, be returned by post through the Royal Mail system to arrive at Hyndburn Borough Council by 10pm on polling day, or handed in at a polling station in the relevant borough on polling day, between 7am and 10pm.
HOWEVER, postal votes CANNOT simply be left in letterboxes, at reception desks or handed over to staff.
They MUST be handed over in person at Scaitcliffe House reception to a member of council staff authorised to receive them by 10pm on polling day.
Any postal votes not returned in the correct manner will BE REJECTED and those electors will lose their vote.
Find out more about how to apply for a postal vote and the changes that have been introduced
Proxy votes
Voting by proxy is a convenient way of voting if you are unable to get to a polling station. By proxy just means that you can appoint someone you trust to go and vote on your behalf.
Voting by proxy can be useful if you fall ill and are unable to get to the polling station on election day, or if you are abroad during an election. It can be particularly useful if you are overseas in a country too far away to send back a postal vote in time for the election
Find out more about proxy voting
Voter ID
Voters have to show photo ID at the polling station before their ballot paper is issued. You can check what ID is accepted
if you do not have a type of photo ID that allows you to vote, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate
Polling Stations
f you are voting in person on polling day you must go to the polling station assigned to you. This can be found on the polling card that will be sent to you shortly before polling day.
Or you can find out online now by simply entering your postcode
Moving home
If you have moved, you’ll need to re-register to vote.
Living abroad
If you live overseas you can apply to register as an overseas elector.
The two versions of the electoral register
- The full register has the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote. Anyone can look at it by making an appointment at the Council Offices at Scaitcliffe House but it is only supplied for certain purposes such as law enforcement. Credit reference agencies are allowed to use this version but only to verify your details.
- The open register is available for general sale and can be used for any purpose. You can choose not to appear on this version by indicating when you register or by emailing us: elections@hyndburnbc.gov.uk. This will not affect your voting rights or credit status.
To check if you are registered or to make an appointment to view the current electoral register please email us: elections@hyndburnbc.gov.uk.
More information
Further details about voting are available on the www.gov.uk website.
Not being registered to vote can also impact on applications for mortgages or mobile phones since credit reference agencies use the register to validate applications.
There is a criminal penalty for failing to provide the information required by the Household Enquiry Form to the Electoral Registration Officer of a maximum of £1,000. The penalty for providing false information to an Electoral Registration Officer is imprisonment of up to six months or a fine (on summary conviction) of a maximum of £5,000.