How could a summer election influence voter turnout?

Less than a month after local election ballots closed, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak today announced that a general election will be taking place on July 4.

July’s ballot will be the first summer general election since Theresa May’s Tory party went against Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour in June 2017.

In the last 100 years, there have been six elections held in either June or July, with the Conservatives winning four of those.

The last time the UK held a general election in July was in 1945. On May 5, Clement Attlee’s, Labour party gained a landslide majority of 146 seats

With summer being the traditional holiday and events season the PM’s decision to call the election in July has received some criticism, particularly around voter turnout.

What will clash with the General Election over summer?

In the world of sport, Scotland and England are two of the 23 teams who will be competing in the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament over in Germany during the election period.

Alongside this UK’s cyclists will be battling it out in the Tour de France, and over in South west London, thousands will be in attendance at the fourth round of the oldest tennis championship in the world, Wimbledon, between 1-14 July.

Not near your polling station on July 4?

With UK schools out for summer between June 28 and September 9, another concern is how you can vote if you’re off on holiday.

If you have registered to vote, which you would need to do so at least 12 working days before July 4.

You are then eligible to apply for a postal vote, or a vote by proxy, which means you nominate someone else to vote on your behalf.

It’s also worth noting that voting has changed all voters now require photographic ID to cast a vote if you don’t have photo ID you can apply for a voter authority certificate ahead of election day.