Registering to vote

To be able to vote in elections, you need to be registered to vote.

If you are registered to vote, you will be on our electoral register. This is a list of all those residents in Rushmoor, who are eligible to vote in elections.

The electoral register is also called the electoral roll.

By law, if you are eligible, you have to be registered to vote, even if you don't vote. It's also important if you ever want credit - even a mobile phone - as credit agencies will check if you're on the register of electors.

How to register to vote

• You can register by visiting the Register to vote - GOV.UK website
• Everyone is responsible for registering themselves.  Under the old system the 'head of every household' could register everyone who lived at their address
• Fill in your name, address, date of birth and a few other details.  You'll also need details of your date of birth, national insurance number, which you can find on your national insurance card or in official paperwork,such as pay slips, or letters about benefits or tax credits
• Look out for a confirmation to say you're registered

Who can register to vote

To be able to register you must be:

• Aged over 16 (although you cannot vote until you are 18)
• A British or commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Irish Republic or other EU member state

Just because you're on the council tax register doesn't mean you are on the electoral register, as the two lists contain different information.

When you can register to vote

We publish a new electoral register once a year on 1 December following a full canvass of electors.

You can, however, register to vote at any time after its publication, as we update it on the first working day of each month.

There are deadlines for these monthly updates are set out in the table below.

As long as no-one objects to your name appearing on the electoral register for the address you give, we will add you to it when we update it. We will let you know when we have added your name to the electoral register and also if anyone has objected to your name being included on it.

Registering to vote once an election has been called

Once an election has been called, you will be able to register up to 11 working days before the election day.

Registering to vote if you live abroad

If you are a British Citizen, but live outside the UK, you can still register to vote and then vote in Parliamentary and European Parliamentary elections.

As long as you were registered to vote as a resident in the UK (or deemed to have been resident in the UK, for example by being registered as a service vote) within the last 15 years, you can register to vote from overseas.  If you were too young to register when you left the UK, your parent or guardian must have been registered.

You can apply online at  Register to vote - GOV.UK.

If you change your name, you need to contact us so we can send you an 'change of name' form.

Registering to vote if you are in the armed forces

If you are in the armed forces, or the spouse of someone who is, you can:

• Apply to register to vote online as an ordinary voter by visiting the Register to vote - GOV.UK website
• Apply to register to vote online as a service voter by visiting the Register to vote (armed forces) - GOV.UK website.   It will give you registration for up to five years. We have a duty to remind you to re-register before your five years comes to an end

If you are a crown servant or an employee of the British Council, you can apply through your department, which will then pass your details onto us. You can also apply online on the Electoral Commission's About my vote website.

For more information, please see the About my vote - Frequently asked questions web pages.