British citizens urged to ensure voting rights
British people living in Ireland were today urged to take action to ensure they don’t lose the right to vote in the UK.
Britons living abroad, who have been registered to vote in the UK in the last 15 years, are eligible to take part in British elections, but only if they are on the electoral register.
Those who were too young to be registered when they left the country must have a parent or guardian who was on the electoral roll.
The British Electoral Commission said that if a parliamentary general election were called for May 5 – the date of local elections in some parts of England - citizens would have to register by March 11 in order to be able to vote.
According to the 2002 census, there are more than 100,000 UK nationals living in Ireland.
Angela Salt, communication director at the British Electoral Commission said: “It’s important that people realise that they need to be on the electoral register to be able to vote.
“If there were to be an election in May, the cut-off date to make sure you are on the electoral register is March 11.
“We are urging eligible British citizens living abroad to act now so they don’t lose their right to vote.”
The commission’s voter information site – www.aboutmyvote.co.uk – is carrying details of how to register.
The commission also said that voters could apply to vote by post or by proxy, and that overseas voters were eligible to vote in both UK parliamentary and European Parliament elections.
