Registering and eligibility to vote

Eligible to Vote

To be eligible to vote your name must appear on the Register of Electors.  To be added to the Electoral Register for Test Valley Borough Council you must be:

• Resident in the Test Valley Borough area on the date of application.
• A British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen, or a citizen of Cyprus or Malta.
• 18 years old or over.

There are certain categories of people who will require special arrangements to register.

17 years olds.

If you are 17 years old, you need to complete a registration form as you can vote from the day you are 18.

Students

Students can register at both their home address and their college address. It is not an offence to register twice, but you may only vote once in any particular election.

Citizens of European Member States

You can register if you have permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man - or you do not need permission - and you're a:

  • Citizen of Denmark, Luxembourrg, Poland, Portugal or Spain
  • Citizen of another EU country, if you have had permission to enter or stay - or not needed permission - since 31 December 2020, and this has continued without a break.

You cannot vote in UK Parliamentary elections, but will be eligible to vote in local elections. 

Overseas Electors

British and eligible Irish citizens living overseas can register to vote in Parliamentary elections in the UK no matter how long ago they left or were last registered to vote in the UK.  These voters will be registered at the constituency where they were last registered to vote, or where they lived if they were not registered to vote before. 

To register as an overseas elector you should complete an overseas elector application which can be completed online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote or you can contact Electoral Services for further information.

HM Forces

Service personnel have a choice of how they register. You may register annually as an ordinary elector via the canvass form, or every five years as a Service Elector. For more information and an application form to register as a Service voter you should contact your Unit’s Electoral Registration Officer. Alternately you can complete a service voter registration online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. Service voter registration rights extend to spouses.

Crown servants/ British Council employees

Diplomats, embassy employees and British council employees may register by way of a service declaration. Applicants must be living outside the UK to register in this way. You can complete a crown servant registration online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

Peers

The House of Lords Act 1999 sets out that 90 hereditary peers are members of the House of Lords. Peers may vote at local elections but are barred from voting at UK Parliamentary elections.

Homeless

If you have no fixed abode you may register through local connection at the place where you spend most of your time either during the day or at night. Please contact Electoral Services if you think this may apply to you.

Second Homes

Individuals who reside between two homes may register at both addresses if they are able to satisfy the general residency criteria above. It is not an offence to register twice, but you may only vote once in any particular election.

Convicted Detained Prisoners

Prisoners are not currently eligible to vote.

Prisoners on Remand

Remand prisoners may register at the institution where they are currently residing, or at an address where they would have been resident or had previously lived.

Mental Health Patients

Individuals suffering from a mental disorder who live in the community may register as ordinary electors. Those receiving treatment in a mental hospital or facility may register by way of local connection.

People concerned for their safety

If you are concerned that your name appearing on the Register of Electors would compromise your safety you should contact Electoral Services to discuss further options.

If any of the above alternate arrangements do not apply to you, then to register to vote please visit www.gov.uk/register-to-vote and enter your details.