BBC News: Election 2010 BBC News

Page last updated at 14:44 GMT, Thursday, 22 April 2010 15:44 UK
How to vote in a general election



Crowds of people in the UK

To vote in a UK general election, you must fulfil certain requirements and your name must be on the electoral register.

The deadline to apply to have you name added to the electoral register in time for this general election passed on Tuesday, 20 April.

REQUIREMENTS

You must be:

• 18 years of age or over on polling day

• Resident in the UK

• A British citizen or a qualifying Commonwealth, EU or Irish Republic citizen

• Not subject to any legal incapacity to vote.

ELECTORAL REGISTER

• Check with your local council to find out whether you are on the electoral register. You can find out who to contact by entering your postcode on the Electoral Commission website.

• If you are not registered, you need to fill out and return a registration form by the 20 April.

Electoral registration form

You can pick one up at your local election office or download one from the Electoral Commission website.

In Northern Ireland you can download a form from the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland website.



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