Registering and voting as an overseas elector

If you are a British citizen living outside the UK for longer than six months of the year you may be able to register as an 'overseas elector'. This will enable you to vote at Parliamentary elections in the UK. 

Who is eligible

You are eligible to register as an overseas elector if you are living abroad, providing that meet one of the conditions below:

• Previously registered condition - You were registered to vote in the UK before you left the UK
• Previously resident condition - You were previously a resident in the UK, or were not old enough to be on the electoral register before you left the UK

You must apply to register as an overseas elector at the address where you were last registered to vote in the UK. If you were never on the electoral register, then you should register with the last address at which you were a resident.

Once registered as an overseas elector, you will be required to renew your registration every three years, and the Electoral Services team will contact you when you are required to renew your registration.

How to register

• Visit Register to vote (GOV.UK)
• for ‘Where do you live?’ select ‘British citizen living in another country (including the Channel Islands or Isle of Man)’

Vote by post or proxy?

When applying to vote as an overseas elector we strongly advise you appoint someone else to vote on your behalf. If you apply to vote by post, it is not likely that the ballot papers will reach you in time. Ballot papers are often not ready to post to electors until 10 days before the election. If you are living overseas you may not receive your ballot papers in time for you to complete and return them to us by 10pm on election day (the deadline for us to receive them).

Please contact electoral.services@richmond.gov.uk for further information.

• Apply for a proxy vote
• Apply for a postal vote