Key dates:
Next General Election: 4 July 2024
Deadline to register: 18 June 2024
Deadline to apply for a postal vote: 5pm on Wednesday 19 June
Deadline to apply for Voter Authority Certificate: 5pm on Wednesday 26 June
We’ve put together some online resources to help you register and vote below.
We can also answer questions and give you printed information and application forms in person, at our reception.
Please note that where this information refers to the local electoral office, we give details for the Brighton & Hove office.
Information on Voter ID and applying for a Voter Authority Certificate:
If you want to vote in person you will need to bring an accepted form of Voter ID to the polling station.
See the full list of acceptable forms of Voter photo ID here:
https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/voter-id
If you can’t get one of these forms of ID, you can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate:
You can also pick up a paper application form from Community Base reception.
If you don’t have an acceptable form of Voter ID and don’t want to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate, one option is to apply to vote by post – see information above.
If you’ve recently changed your name
If you have recently changed your name, you can present your name change document alongside your photo ID to vote at the polling station. The name change document must show a link between your name on the register and your name on your photo ID.
Acceptable name change documents could include a:
- deed poll
- marriage certificate
- civil partnership certificate
- decree absolute
- gender recognition certificate with a date of birth matching your photo ID
You should let the local electoral office know about your name change so they can update the electoral register. You can do this by:
- making a new application to register to vote online
- sending an email to electors@brighton-hove.gov.uk
- phoning 01273 291 999
Accessibility:
My Vote My Voice guide to voting in person:
https://www.myvotemyvoice.org.uk/voting/how-to-vote-in-an-election/how-to-vote-in-person/
At Brighton & Hove polling stations:
Wheelchair access
As many polling stations as possible have wheelchair access. The ramped access may not be through the main door, but it will be clearly signposted.
If it’s difficult for you to access the polling station, the Presiding Officer can help you. They can bring a ballot paper out to you. Once you’ve voted, fold the ballot paper and the Presiding Officer will take it to the ballot box.
Every polling station has a low-level polling booth. The height to the desk is approximately 76cm. It’s suitable for most wheelchair users and people of short stature.
Voting aids for visually impaired or blind people
Large print notices
Large print notices of ballot papers are displayed in every polling station. You can use these as a reference. By law you must still cast your vote on a standard print ballot paper.
Tactile device
We can fix a tactile device to the ballot paper. It has flaps that cover each option on the ballot paper and has the corresponding ballot number underneath. These numbers are embossed in black and you can also identify it by touch.
To cast your vote, lift the relevant flap to show the box on the ballot paper and make your mark. We then remove the device and place the ballot paper in the ballot box.
Help from a companion
If you have a disability that prevents you from completing a ballot paper on your own, you can bring someone with you to the polling station. Your companion must be 18 years or older on election day.
At the polling station they must ask the Presiding Officer for a companion declaration form. This is to state they have recorded your vote truly and faithfully.
Help from staff
You can ask the Presiding Officer to help you vote. They are legally bound by the Requirement for Secrecy and your vote will remain secret.
If you know which candidate you want to vote for, the Presiding Officer can mark the ballot paper for you. You do this in the privacy of the polling booth.
Other ways of voting:
If you don’t want to go to the polling station to vote, you can vote by post or proxy. Voters with a disability can have a permanent proxy vote.
Find out more about voting by proxy.
To ask for a reasonable adjustment at your polling station you can:
- send an email to electors@brighton-hove.gov.uk
- phone 01273 291 999
The Returning Officer will then consider your request and get back to you.
Websites and services making voting more accessible:
My Vote My Voice
My Vote My Voice is a campaign to support voting for people with learning disabilities and autistic people.
View their quick guide to voting: https://www.myvotemyvoice.org.uk/voting/quick-guide-to-voting/
Speaking Up
Speaking Up support and encourage people with learning disabilities to:
- understand the voting process
- become active citizens
- register to vote
Find out how Speaking Up helps people with learning disabilities.
Information for people with sight loss
https://www.rnib.org.uk/get-involved/support-a-campaign/voting-and-elections-what-you-need-to-know/
LGBTQ+ voters
If you are LGBTQ+ and have questions or concerns about registering to vote and voting, LGBT Hero are providing information and support:
https://www.lgbthero.org.uk/voter-id-campaign
Register to vote online:
https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Online registration guides:
Electoral Commission: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections
My Vote My Voice, a website that has resources and guides to encourage and support with learning disabilities and autistic people to vote: https://www.myvotemyvoice.org.uk/
Places to find information and support:
Community Base reception
Drop in to our reception and we can help with: printed forms, information on the registration process and voting.
We can’t help with: filling out the forms with you, detailed advice and one-to-one support.
Brighton & Hove Electoral office
Electoral Registration Officer, Town Hall, Norton Road, Hove, BN3 3BQ
- https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/vote
- 01273 291999 – open for queries weekdays 9.30am-1.30pm
- electors@brighton-hove.gov.uk
Face to face help with registration forms
The Salvation Army are running drop in sessions to help filling out registration forms on the following dates:
Places you can use a computer to register online:
Libraries
Sign up for membership at your local library, you will be able to book to use their computers for free for up to 1 hour.
Some libraries offer bookable sessions with someone who can support you to use the computer.
Call this number for more information: 01273 290 800
Eligibility
Please note eligibility has changed in May 2024
You can register to vote from the age of 16 (14 in Scotland and Wales). In England, you can vote from the age of 18.
You must also:
Either be British citizen or an Irish citizen
Or 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:
- Commonwealth citizen
- citizen of Denmark, Luxembourg, 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 normally only need to register once – not for every election.
You’ll need to register again if you have changed:
- your name,
- your address,
- or your nationality
since you last registered to vote.
What to do if you can’t find your national insurance number:
https://www.gov.uk/lost-national-insurance-number
Information if you have questions about your address, or have no fixed address:
Don’t know your postcode?
If you can’t find your postcode on a letter or other document, try entering your address into a search engine website.
If you have more than one address
- It’s sometimes possible to register at two addresses (though you can only vote once in any election).
- For example, if you’re a student living away from home, you may be able to register at both your home and term time addresses.
- If you want to register at two addresses, make two separate applications through this service. Your local Electoral Registration Office will look at each application and tell you whether you’re allowed to register.
If you don’t have a permanent home
You can register to vote at an address where you spend most of your time. This could be a shelter, or any place where you sleep or spend a large part of your day.
You can’t register online. You must complete a paper no fixed address registration form.
You can download and print a form here:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/663e1c47b7249a4c6e9d3273/PF_ITR-N-E-C_acc.pdf
You can also collect a paper form from:
- Community Base reception
- The Electoral Office: Hove Town Hall, Norton Road, Hove BN3 3BQ
You will need to list two addresses on the registration form:
Registration address (Question 8):
This should be a place where you spend most of your time. This could be a shelter, a day centre or community centre, but doesn’t have to be an organisation or building, it can be any location you spend your day or sleep. Post will not be sent here, but you will need to quote this address again if you apply to vote by post, to vote anonymously, or by proxy.
Correspondence address (Question 10):
This is where all correspondence related to registration and voting will be posted to you (e.g. further information requests for registration, postal vote application if requested, postal voting card, polling card if voting in person). Choose a place that you will be able to visit to collect your post and ensure you ask permission to use this as your correspondence address. You have the option of choosing the Electoral Office as your correspondence address (to collect post, go to the help desk at Hove Town Hall and ask for the Electoral Office).
If you are voting in person, you will most likely be assigned a polling station according to the correspondence address, so bear this in mind.
Return completed application forms to the Electoral Office:
- as a clear scan or photo, by email to electors@brighton-hove.gov.uk
- by post, or in person, to Electoral Services, Hove Town Hall, Norton Road Hove, BN3 3BQ
Keep a note of the addresses you have listed and the date that you submitted your registration. You may want to contact the Electoral Office a few weeks after registering to check your registration has been received and processed. You can also contact them to check postal vote application has been processed, or to check where your polling station is for particular elections.
Registration with no fixed address expires after a year, you will be contacted by post to renew your registration.
Information about the electoral register and voting anonymously:
Information on the electoral register and the open register:
https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/how-elections-work/electoral-register
How to opt in or opt out of the open register:
https://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/node/1990811
Voting anonymously:
If you need a paper form:
You can download and print a form here:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/663e1d2d993111924d9d327f/PF_ITR-A-E-C_acc.pdf
You can also collect a paper form from:
- Community Base reception
- The Electoral Office: Hove Town Hall, Norton Road, Hove BN3 3BQ
Information about applying to vote by proxy:
Electoral commission guide:
https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-elections/ways-vote/how-vote-proxy
My Vote My Voice guide:
https://www.myvotemyvoice.org.uk/voting/register-to-vote/how-to-register-for-proxy-voting/
Information about voting by post
To vote by post you need to apply in advance. You need to be registered to vote in order to apply to vote by post.
How to apply:
- You can indicate on the registration form that you want to apply for postal vote, and the electoral office will post you one to you (if you registered with no fixed address, this will be sent to your correspondence address).
- You can apply online: https://www.gov.uk/apply-postal-vote
- You can fill out a paper form – ask Community Base reception or your electoral office.
Return completed application forms to your local Electoral office:
- as a clear scan or photo, by email to electors@brighton-hove.gov.uk
- by post, or in person, to Electoral Services, Hove Town Hall, Norton Road Hove, BN3 3BQ
You can use this form to apply to vote by post for a particular election, for a set period of time or for a maximum period of three years.
Your postal voting card will be sent to you by post (if you registered with no fixed address, this will be sent to your correspondence address).
Make your application for a postal vote by 5pm, 11 working days before election day.
If you don’t have access to any accepted identification documents to bring to the polling station to vote in person (see our information below) voting by post is one option available to you.
Information on this page was taken from the .gov website, the electoral commission website, My Vote My Voice, LGBT Hero, RNIB, Speaking Up, United Response, and the Brighton & Hove Electoral Registration office.
