Thursday 13-06-2024 - 10:07

 

 

As we near the end of another fruitful school year, you may know that it’s also the start of the up and coming general election on Thursday, the 4th of July, 2024.
 

But what many of you may not have known, is that as international students in the UK, you might have the right to vote, alongside British and Irish citizens.
 
The UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) stated that international students from the EU, Commonwealth countries, and from British Overseas Territories. With our calculations, this means that over 20% of international students at Lancaster University are qualified to vote in the general election. Seeing how close the polls currently are, we firmly encourage everyone to exercise their right to vote, to ensure the results accurately reflect the views and goals of our student body!
 
If you are an international student from one of the countries listed below, who has leave to enter or remain in the UK, or does not require such leave - Congratulations! you are eligible to register to vote in the UK.

 

Commonwealth Countries

• Antigua and Barbuda  
• Australia 
• The Bahamas  
• Bangladesh  
• Barbados  
• Belize  
• Botswana  
• Brunei  
• Darussalam  
• Cameroon  
• Canada  
• Cyprus  
• Dominica  
• Fiji Islands  
• The Gambia
• Ghana
• Grenada
• Guyana
• India
• Jamaica
• Kenya
• Kiribati
• Lesotho
• Malawi
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Malta
• Mauritius
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Nauru
• New Zealand
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Papua New Guinea
• Rwanda
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Samoa
• Seychelles
• Sierra Leone
• Singapore
• Solomon Islands
• South Africa
• Sri Lanka
• Swaziland Tonga
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Tuvalu
• Uganda
• United Republic of Tanzania
• Vanuatu
• Zambia 
• Zimbabwe

British Overseas Territories

• Anguilla
• Bermuda
• British Antarctic Territory
• British Virgin Islands
• Cayman Islands
• Falkland Islands
• Gibraltar
• Montserrat
• Pitcairn Islands
• Saint Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha
• South Georgia
• Sandwich Islands
• Turks and Caicos Islands

*Citizens of the Republic of Ireland, Cyprus and Malta are eligible to register to vote in respect of all elections in the UK. 

**Only former residents of Hong Kong who hold a British Dependent Territories, a British Nationals (Overseas) or British Overseas passport meet the nationality criteria for all elections in the UK. 

 

 

If your country of citizenship is not listed in the list above, you can still double check through the NUS, using the following link: Can I vote in UK elections? - NUS UK

Once you’ve confirmed your eligibility, you need to register to vote. This is a fairly quick process, and only requires you to have your National Insurance Number, as well as a valid form of ID. You can either:

 

• Register to vote online: Register to vote - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
• Download a paper form: Register to vote (paper forms) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

 

Registration closes on Wednesday, June 18th 2024, so make sure you’ve confirmed your registration by then, if you want the opportunity to vote on July 4th. 

In the case that you will not be in the UK on July 4th, you must apply for a postal vote, in which your vote will be confirmed, and delivered by post. If you are applying for a postal vote, you must apply by 5:00 pm on Thursday, June 19th 2024. You can either:

 

• Apply online for postal vote: https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote 
• Download a paper form: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apply-for-a-postal-vote 

 

Note that if you apply using a paper form, you'll need to send the completed form to your local Electoral Registration Office.

Know that your individual vote makes a difference, and that collectively all votes will have a huge impact on the election turnout this year!

 

For more information about the General Election, view our Key Dates Article, or join us next week at our Candidate Question Time event.