How to register to vote

To register to vote you must be 16, although voters must be 18 or over. You must also be a British or qualifying Commonwealth citizen, or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or other European Union member state. Please check eligible nationalities in the list at the foot of the page.

Registering to vote is quick and easy.

You can register to vote online.

You will need to provide your name, address, date of birth and also your National Insurance Number. Your National Insurance Number can be found on your National Insurance card, or in official paperwork such as payslips, or letters about benefits or tax credits.

If you are a British citizen living abroad, you can apply to register as an overseas voter. To register you must have been registered at a UK address in the last 15 years. As an overseas voter you are eligible to vote in UK Parliamentary and European Parliamentary elections – but not UK local elections. Overseas registrations are valid for one year, so need to be renewed.

You can register to vote as an overseas voter online.

If you are a member of the armed forces, or a husband, wife or registered civil partner of a service voter, you have the option to register as a service voter. If you are often posted overseas, or if you move around frequently, registering as a service voter enables you to remain registered at a fixed UK address. Service voter registrations are valid for a period of five years.

You can register to vote as a service voter online.

There are two registers. Using information received from the public, registration officers keep two registers – the electoral register and the open register (also known as the edited register).

The electoral register

The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote in public elections. The register is used for electoral purposes, such as making sure only eligible people can vote. It is also used for other limited purposes specified in law, such as:

• detecting crime (such as fraud)
• calling people for jury service
• checking credit applications

The open register

The open register is an extract of the electoral register, but it is not used for elections. It can be bought by any person, company or organisation. For example, it is used by businesses and charities to confirm name and address details. Your name and address will be included in the open register unless you ask for them to be removed. Removing your details from the open register does not affect your right to vote.

More information about both registers and how they may be used can be found on Gov.UK.

If you would like to remove your details from the open register, you can do so by contacting us at elections@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.

The Register of Electors is not automatically updated when you notify the Council Tax section.

You can register to vote at your new address online.

No. The electoral register is not updated automatically if you pay council tax because the criteria are different. For example, the council tax may be paid by a landlord rather than residents of a property.

Please visit the Electoral Commission’s site for more frequently asked questions.

Nationalities eligible to vote in UK