You need to be registered on the electoral register to vote in elections and referendums. You can register to appear on the register from the age of 16, but you cannot vote until you are 18.
How to register as an elector
You are responsible for registering yourself in order to vote. When registering, you will need to provide details including your National Insurance number and date of birth. This makes the electoral register more secure. You can easily register online or you can call the Elections Office on 01480 388017 to register over the phone.
Register to Vote OnlineTo verify your identity, the data you provide will be processed by the Individual Registration Digital Service managed by the Cabinet Office. As part of this process, your data will be shared with the Department of Work and Pensions and the Cabinet Office suppliers that are data processors for the Individual Electoral Registration Digital Service. You can find more information about this in GOV.UK's Privacy Policy.
Have you changed your name or address?
If you have changed your name or moved house you will need to update your details on the electoral register. You can do this online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. It takes about five minutes to update your details and you will need to submit your National Insurance number and your date of birth.
If you need to tell the Council Tax team about these changes, please complete this Change of Address form.
Identity documents
We may sometimes ask you to provide documentation to verify your identity to enable you to register to vote. Please note that we use electronic scanners to check and verify identity documents from all customers applying to access council services. We will scan documents with a product called Trust ID