Overseas voters

British citizens who live overseas are eligible to register to vote in UK general elections if they:

• were previously registered to vote in the UK, either before they left the UK or as an overseas elector (known as the previously registered condition)

or

• were previously living in the UK, including those who left the UK before they were old enough to register to vote (known as the previous resident condition)

and

• pass identity verification checks

How to apply

Visit the GOV.UK website to apply to register to vote if you're living abroad.

Overseas elector’s declarations must be renewed every three years. We will contact you to renew your overseas registration approximately three months before your renewal date.

Voting from overseas

Overseas voters have the option to vote by proxy, by post or in-person.

• a proxy vote: where someone you know who is registered and also eligible to vote in the election goes to your polling station to cast your vote for you

Visit the GOV.UK website to apply for a proxy vote.

• a proxy postal vote: where the person you have chosen to vote for you applies for a postal vote to be delivered to them. They will need to apply for this themselves after you apply for them to be your proxy

If the person you've appointed as your proxy would prefer to receive your vote by post, please email mailto:electoral.enquiries@southwark.gov.uk?subject=Proxy%20postal%20application%20form for a proxy postal application form.

• a postal vote: where you receive and send back a postal ballot pack yourself; if you're considering this option, it's important to consider that:
  • depending on when you apply for it, your postal vote pack will be sent out between 12 and 6 working days before polling day
  • your completed postal vote pack must arrive at the return address by 10pm on polling day to be valid
  • postal votes are delivered by Royal Mail in the UK and local mail delivery services internationally; if the post is likely to take longer than six working days to reach you and be returned to the UK, a proxy vote may be a better option

Visit the GOV.UK website to apply for a postal vote.

• in-person: if you will be in the UK on polling day, you may go to your designated polling station here in Southwark to cast your vote

Page last updated: 06 February 2024