Your VOTE Matters: Vote in the Upcoming General Election! 

Attention University of Wolverhampton students! A UK general election has been called for 4th July 2024, and your participation is crucial to make sure the next government puts students at the heart of its decisions. Voting is your chance to have a say in who represents you and addresses the issues that matter most to students.  

What is a General Election in the UK?

A general election is a nationwide election where voters choose Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent them in the House of Commons. General elections determine the composition of the government and are held at least every five years.

Things you should be doing now:

Election day is not until 4th July, but there are deadlines for registering to vote and getting your voter id that you should be doing now.

1. Check if you’re eligible to vote

To vote in a general election you must:

• be registered to vote
• be 18 or over on the day of the election (‘polling day’)
• be a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen
• be resident at an address in the UK or living abroad and registered as an overseas voter
• not be legally excluded from voting

Lots of people don't realise that Irish and individuals living in the UK from commonwelath countries can vote. It’s important to check your eligibility so you don't miss out on your chance to vote. 

Check Eligibility Here: canivote.org.uk 

2. Register to Vote

You can only vote if you are on the official voting register. You can register to vote at both your university and home addresses if they are different, but you can ONLY vote in one place for a General Election. It is up to you where you choose, but you must make sure you are registered.

It only takes a few minutes, and you will need your National Insurance number.

If you do not know your National Insurance number, you can get assistance in finding it HERE.

Register to Vote here: Register to vote 

The deadline to register is 18th June 2024.

3. Postal Vote / Proxy Vote

A Postal Vote allows registered voters in the UK to cast their ballot by mail if they are unable to vote in person at their polling station on election day. This option is particularly useful for individuals who may be away from home, have mobility issues, or find it more convenient to vote by post. 

If you want to use a postal vote, the deadline to register for this is 5pm on 19th June 2024. Register HERE

A Proxy Vote allows a registered voter to appoint someone else to vote on their behalf if they are unable to vote in person. This can be due to reasons such as illness, disability, work commitments, or being abroad on election day. To arrange a proxy vote, the voter must complete an application form and submit it to their local Electoral Registration Office by a specified deadline before the election. The appointed proxy must be eligible to vote in the election and will cast the vote according to the voter’s instructions. 

The deadline to apply for a proxy vote is 5pm on 26th June 2024. Register HERE

4. Make sure you have valid Voter ID 

In the UK voters are now required to show an acceptable form of photo identification (ID) to vote in person at polling stations. Your student ID card is NOT a valid form for voting.

The accepted forms of ID include: 

• a UK or Northern Ireland photocard driving licence (full or provisional) 

• a driving licence issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Isle of Man, or any of the Channel Islands 

• a UK passport 

• a passport issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or a Commonwealth country. 

• a PASS card (National Proof of Age Standards Scheme) 

• a Blue Badge 

• a Defence Identity Card (MOD form 90) 

• a national identity card issued by the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein 

• a Northern Ireland Electoral Identity Card 

• a Voter Authority Certificate 

a full list can be found here.

Not got any of the above?

• Get Free ID from NUS: Use the code NUS for a FREE CitizenCard. The deadline is Thursday 20th June 2024.

• Or you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate free of charge.A Voter Authority Certificate is an official document issued by the UK government to eligible voters who do not have an accepted form of photo identification.  To obtain a Voter Authority Certificate, applicants must provide personal details and a photograph, and the certificate will be issued free of charge. 

 

Things to do before Polling Day:

 

Work out who to vote for

Wolverhampton Students' Union will never tell you who to vote for, but we will always encourage you to make an informed decision, and to actually vote!

Knowing your candidates and their policies is crucial to making an informed decision. 

• Find Election Candidates: whocanivotefor.co.uk 

• Check out NUS' Vote Matcher Quiz below 

NUS Vote Matcher Quiz

 

Find Your Polling Station 

Plan ahead and work out where you will need to go to cast your vote.

• Find Your Polling Station: wheredoivote.co.uk 

If you can't or don't want to vote in person (for example you might be abroad), you can register to vote by post.

Polling Day

VOTE!!!

Polling stations are open from 7 AM to 10 PM. Voters mark an "X" next to their preferred candidate on the ballot paper. 

Remember to take your valid voting id!

 

Counting and Results: 

Votes are counted after polls close. The candidate with the most votes in each constituency wins and becomes the MP for that area. 

The party that wins the most constituencies usually forms the government. If one party wins more than half of the seats (at least 326 out of 650), they have a majority and can form a government outright. If no party achieves a majority, a hung parliament occurs, leading to coalition talks or minority government formation. 

Your vote matters. Make it count!