Elections - electoral register

All persons must register as electors in the registration area in which they normally live. Most persons wishing to register will use the Personal Registration Form, but certain groups of electors are required to use special forms. The forms are listed below, and to enable you to select the correct form, there is a short description of the form and the groups of people for whom the form is intended.

The documents below appear in Adobe® Acrobat® (PDF) format. In order to view them you will need to have Acrobat Reader installed. (Those with visual impairments may wish to investigate Access Adobe, which provides tools and information to help make PDF files more accessible.)

Personal registration form

This form is for use by most electors to register as electors. It should be used when an elector moves from one property to another, or there is a change of circumstances (e.g. change of name by marriage, etc). Notes to help you complete the form, including a timetable for ensuring you get your application in before the next local election, can be found on the guidance page.

Elections personal registration

You can register to vote if you are:

16 or over (but you can not vote until you are 18,
a UK, Republic of Ireland or Commonwealth citizen,
a citizen of a European Union country living in the UK,
a citizen of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man or a British Overseas Territory living in the UK.

You can download an application form for the Register of electors in Adobe Acrobat format to print off and send in.

Proxy voting

A proxy voter is a person who has been appointed to vote on behalf of another elector. The proxy will normally attend the voter's polling station and be handed the voter's ballot paper, but in certain circumstances, the proxy may apply to vote by post on behalf of the elector. Apply for Proxy voting

Postal Voting

A postal voter is an elector who has applies to have his/her ballot paper sent to their home address, or another specified address, a short time before the day of the election. Special envelopes are supplied to enable the ballot paper to be marked in secret, and returned to the Town Hall in secrecy. Apply for postal voting

Special forms

Overseas Elector Registration Form
This form is for use by British Citizens who are living abroad, but who wish to register to vote in United Kingdom Parliamentary Elections. Overseas electors should also consider appointing a person to vote as their proxy (see absent voting forms in the previous section).	Registration Form (Overseas Elector) (58 KB, 3 pages)
Members of HM Forces Registration Form
This form is for use by serving members of HM Forces (all branches), who wish to register as "service voters" and not as civilians.	Registration Form (Members of HM Forces) (59 KB, 2 pages)
Spouse of a Member of HM Forces Registration Form
This form is for use by the Spouse of a serving member of HM Forces (all branches), who wishes to register as a "service voter" and not as a civilian.	Registration Form (Spouse of a Member of HM Forces) (60 KB, 2 pages)
Crown Servants / British Council Employees Registration Form
This form is for use by Crown Servants and Employees of the British Council who are working abroad.	Registration Form (Crown Servants / British Council Employees) (59 KB, 2 pages)
Spouse of Crown Servants / British Council Employees Registration Form
This form is for use by the Spouse of a Crown Servant or an Employee of the British Council who is working abroad.	Registration Form (Spouse of Crown Servants / British Council Employees) (60 KB, 2 pages)
Remand Prisoners Registration Form
This form is for use by persons who are being held on remand, but who have not yet been convicted.	Registration Form (Remand Prisoners) (47 KB, 2 pages)
Mental Health Patients Registration Form
This form is for use by persons who are voluntary or detained patients in a mental hospital, but not to persons who are detained for criminal activity. Such persons are not permitted to register.	Registration Form (Mental Health Patients) (47 KB, 2 pages)
Homeless Persons Registration Form
Persons who are homeless and sleeping rough, or who visit a hostel or shelter on an irregular basis may use this form.	Registration Form (Homeless Persons) (46 KB, 2 pages)
Applications to amend Opt-In or Opt-Out details on the Register of Electors
An elector may opt to have their name and address excluded from the Edited Register (the public version of the Register). This "opting-out" is normally done at the time of the annual household registration in September, but this form may be used by any elector to opt-out or opt-in again at any time of the year.	Applications to amend Opt-In or Opt-Out details on the Register of Electors (46 KB, 1 page)
European Union Citizen's Registration Form
All Citizens of the Member States of the European Union who are normally resident in the United Kingdom must register as electors. That "first" registration permits these electors to vote in City Council and Parish Council elections. This form is to be used by European Union Citizens who wish to make the "second", voluntary registration, which will entitle them to vote in elections to the European Parliament in the United Kingdom. European Union Citizens who do not wish to make this "second" registration remain entitled to vote in elections to the European Parliament in their Member State.	European Union Citizen's Registration Form (42KB, 2 pages)