Last chance to register to vote ahead of general election: How to apply

There is just one day left for voters to register to vote ahead of the UK general election.

Almost 220,000 people in Scotland have applied to register to vote since the election was called on May 22.

The deadline to register to vote is 11.59pm on Tuesday, or, if you can’t or don’t want to vote in person the deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on Wednesday, June 19.

Those who wish to apply for a proxy vote must do so by 5pm on Wednesday, June 26.

How do I register to vote?

You can register to vote on the UK Government’s website here.

It should only take about five minutes. You will need a few details to hand such as your National Insurance number, address and some ID.

If you’ve never registered before you will need to do so in order to vote on July 4.

❗If you haven’t registered to vote by midnight on Tuesday 18 June, you will not be able to vote in the general election on 4 July❗ You have 5 days left🗳️ Register to vote: https://t.co/f3iZY0E8Kn pic.twitter.com/dKmrNuUp2t
— Electoral Commission (@ElectoralCommUK) June 13, 2024

You don’t need to register again unless your details, such as your address, nationality or name, have changed.

In Scotland, you can register to vote from age 14 but can only vote in UK Parliament elections from 18.

Just fill out the form on the UK Government website and you should receive your polling card before the election.

You don’t have to be a British citizen to vote in the UK.

You can vote if you live or work here and are Irish, from a qualifying Commonwealth country or from some European countries including Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal or Spain.

You can also vote if you’re an EU citizen from another EU country but have had permission to enter or stay – or not needed permission – since December 31, 2020 and this has continued without a break.

How do I apply for a postal or proxy vote?

If you can’t or don’t want to vote in person you can vote by proxy or through a postal vote.

The deadline for applying for a postal vote is 5pm on Wednesday, June 19.

But you have to ensure you are registered to vote first, and that deadline is 11.59pm on Tuesday.

You can apply for a postal vote on the UK Government’s website here.

People in the UK can vote in person or via post or proxy. Getty Images

You’ll need to have your address at hand, your National Insurance number and an identity document such as a passport.

If it’s a one-off postal vote, you’ll need to put down the July 4 date of the general election.

And you’ll need to upload a photo of your handwritten signature too.

If you cannot apply online, download and fill in a postal vote application form and send it to your local Electoral Registration Office.

You can contact your local Electoral Registration Office which can post you a paper form.

If you cannot sign a printed form, contact your local Electoral Registration Office.

You can apply for a proxy vote here. The deadline is 5pm on Wednesday, June 26.

You will need to show ID at this election

July 4 will be the first time Scottish voters will have to show ID when voting.

While England first had to do it during the nation’s local election earlier this year, Scots do not need to show ID for their local or Holyrood elections.

You can use your passport, driving license or 20 other forms of ID.

If you want to apply for a free voter ID the deadline to apply is 5pm on Wednesday.

You can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate here.