Eligibility Confirmation and Review for European Union Citizens
EU citizens are no longer automatically entitled to register to vote and stand for election.
Retaining rights
Two groups of EU citizens will retain their rights:
- Qualifying EU citizens from countries with reciprocal agreements, and who have leave, or do not require it, to remain in the UK - currently Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain
- EU citizens with 'retained rights' who, on or before 31 December 2020, were legally resident in the UK, had permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or who did not need permission, and this has continued without a break
Review Process
Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) are required to conduct a review of all European Citizens that are registered to vote.
If the ERO is unable to confirm that an EU voter has resided in the UK before 31 December 2020, through checking historical electoral register records, a letter or email will be sent to that voter to confirm whether they remain eligible to be registered under the new criteria.
If you have received a letter informing you that you are still eligible to vote, you do not need to do anything further. You remain eligible and can vote in upcoming elections (excluding UK Parliamentary elections).
If you have gained new citizenship or changed your nationality
If you have gained new citizenship or changed your nationality since you have last registered to vote, you should let us know.
The changes to your citizenship or nationality may affect your eligibility to vote in some elections and you might need to re-register to vote.
Contact us
You can contact us for more information by:
- telephone: 0300 126 7000
- email: [email protected]
Last updated 23 July 2024