Who is eligible to register to vote?
To be eligible to register to vote in England a person must be:
- Aged 17 or over (17 year olds and some 16 year olds may register to vote, but may not vote until they are 18)
- A British or qualifying Commonwealth Citizen who has leave to enter and remain in the UK or does not require such leave. The definition of a Commonwealth Citizen includes citizens of British crown dependencies and British overseas territories
- A citizen of European Union (EU) member states can vote in UK local elections and some referendums, but are not able to vote in UK parliamentary general elections. Citizens of the Republic of Ireland, Cyprus and Malta are eligible to be registered to vote in respect of all elections in the UK
Register to Vote
The way we all register to vote has changed. The system is now called ‘Individual Electoral Registration’ and instead of using a household form to register to vote, everyone will take individual responsibility for their own registration. The quickest and easiest way to register is online.
Please remember you will need to register again every time you move house. Even if you are paying council tax for a property, this will not add you to the electoral register.
Registration can now be done online and you will need the following in order to apply:
- Name
- Current and Previous Address
- Nationality
- Date of Birth
- National Insurance Number
The details that are entered will be used to verify that the person making the application is who they say they are and will reduce the risk of fraud and inaccurate entries on the electoral register.
If you are unable to register online, you can call us to make an application or to request a paper registration form by phoning 01522 873733.
Alternatively, if you have your national insurance number available when you call, we can complete the registration on your behalf.
Change of Name
If your name has changed you can make an application online to change your name on the electoral register at gov.uk. Alternatively, you can complete a change of name form with your previous and new name and the date of the change. You would then need to provide evidence to support the change of name, such as a copy of a marriage certificate or deed poll certificate (this is unlikely to be required if you make an online application to update your details).
To request a form please contact Electoral Services on 01522 873733 or by email to electoral@lincoln.gov.uk giving details of your address and previous and new surname. You will then be sent a personalised form to complete and return with the appropriate evidence.
Special Category Electors
There are a number of electors who are entitled to register to vote even though they may live or work overseas or have no permanent address at which to register. These are known as Special Category Electors.
There are separate registration services for the following categories of voters:
What happens once I have registered?
If your application is valid and not subject to any objections we will write to tell you that you will be added to the electoral register.
If we are unable to verify your details or need further clarification after your application is received, we will contact you:
- either to clarify any element of your application
- or to ask you to provide documentary evidence, such as a copy of a passport or driving licence, to support your application
Electoral services issue a monthly update, called a “list of alterations”, which is published every month between January and September. Please note that there is a ‘cut off’ date by which a registration application must be received for it to be included on a monthly update and this date cannot be changed as it is set in law. Therefore, depending on when an application is received it may take up to 8 weeks until an individual’s details actually appear on the electoral register at an address. It may also take some time for credit reference agencies to update their records after they receive the monthly update files.
Please note that a full revised register is published on 1st December every year following the annual canvass. There are normally no monthly updates published in October or November, as they fall within the annual canvass, during which every property in City of Lincoln is contacted to check if their electoral register details are accurate.