Only one week until general election voting registration deadline 

Glasgow, Scotland – June 12, 2024:

Advice Direct Scotland has issued a reminder that the deadline for voter registration in the upcoming general election is only one week away.

ADS said people who are intending to cast a vote in the election on July 4 must register before midnight on Tuesday, June 18.

It is also reminding Scots who will be abroad on holiday on the day of the election, or supporting the national team at Euro 2024, that they can switch to a postal or proxy vote.

The deadline for applying for a postal vote is 5pm on June 19, while the cut-off time for people who want to appoint a proxy is 5pm on June 26.

More than 40 million people across the UK were registered to vote at the last general election in 2019, but more than 3 million did not sign up until weeks before the deadline.

Recent research from the IPPR think-tank has also highlighted a growing ‘turnout gap’, with those on the highest incomes significantly more likely to vote than those on the lowest.

To be allowed to vote, people must be aged 18 or over on the day of the election and be a British citizen, a qualifying Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland.

The voting registration process takes only five minutes and can be done online through the UK Government’s website, with a national insurance number the only requirement.

Those who are unable to register online can contact their local council electoral registration office and ask them to send out a paper form, which can then be returned by post.

There is no need for people to register to vote before every election, but those who have moved house or changed their name since the previous contest in 2019 might need to re-register and should check with their electoral registration office as soon as possible.

Andrew Bartlett, Chief Executive of Advice Direct Scotland, said:

“With the general election campaign in full swing, voters have a lot of information to take in, but the key thing to remember is that you must register ahead of the deadline.

“It can be done in five minutes online, but we would urge people not to leave it too late in case it slips their mind, and they are left unable to have a say on July 04.

“More than three million people registered in the run-up to the last general election, which put electoral registration offices under a lot of pressure, so the sooner you do it the better.

“There are separate deadlines for applying for postal and proxy voting, so if you’re going to be out of the country on election day you might also need to take action now.”

NOTES

Read more about general elections voting rules and deadlines here.

Learn more about the accepted forms of ID here.