Register to Vote
Who can register?
You must be aged 16 or over.
You can register to vote if you’re a British citizen or an Irish citizen.
You can also 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:
- Commonwealth citizen
- A ‘Qualifying EU citizen’ or ‘EU citizen with retained rights’, please click the “EU Citizens” button on this page to learn more about eligibility for EU citizens.
The types of elections you will be eligible to vote in, will vary depending on the type of registration/elector you are.
You can check which elections you’re eligible to vote here here.
You can register as an overseas voter if you’re either:
- a British citizen
- an eligible Irish citizen registering to vote in Northern Ireland
Renewing your Registration
Your registration lasts up to 3 years. You’ll get a reminder when it’s time to renew.
NOTE: If you do not renew your registration, you’ll be removed from the register and must make a fresh application in order to vote again.
Voting Eligibility
You can vote in UK Parliament elections.
You may be able to vote in referendums. Each referendum has different rules on who can vote in it.
After you’ve registered, you can decide if you want to vote by proxy (if you’re eligible) or vote by post.
To register to vote as an overseas voter, please visit:
You can still register to vote if you're working outside the UK as a Crown Servant or as an employee of the British Council, or if you're married to, or are the civil partner of, a Crown servant or British Council employee and you're accompanying them during their employment abroad.
You must register as a service elector.
You must renew your registration every year. You’ll get a reminder when its time to renew.
More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote-crown-servants-british-council-employees
To register to vote as a Crown Servant, British Council Employee or as a Spouse or Civil Partner of such voters, please visit:
People in the armed forces, and their spouses and civil partners, can register to vote as a service voter or an ordinary voter.
If you're based overseas or expect to be posted abroad in the next year, register as a service voter. This allows you to be registered at a fixed address in the UK even if you move around.
A service voter registration lasts for five years, after which you must renew your registration. You’ll get a reminder when its time to renew.
More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote-armed-forces
To register to vote as a member of the Armed Forces or as a Spouse or Civil Partner of such voter, please visit:
You can still register to vote even if you don't have a fixed address. This may be because you're:
- a patient in a mental health hospital.
- a homeless person or have no fixed address.
- a person remanded in custody, but you have not yet been convicted of an offence.
More information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/register-to-vote-if-you-havent-got-a-fixed-or-permanent-address
To register to vote as a voter in one of the above situations, please contact us using the details at the bottom of this page.
If you are 16 or 17, the law says you may register to vote straight away. You can do this yourself in less than 5 minutes.
Fill in your details including your national insurance number and your email address.
You will be able to vote in elections that happen on or after your 18th birthday.
Following the UK’s departure from the European Union, voting rights for EU citizens have changed. Prior to 7 May 2024, EU citizens had an automatic right to register to vote and vote in local elections and police and crime commissioner (PCC) elections. Since this date these automatic voting rights have been removed and EU citizens living in the UK must now meet new eligibility criteria to be registered to vote. This is based on the county they are from and when they started living in the UK.
Two types of EU Citizens will retain their voting rights as follows;
- 'Qualifying EU citizens' - citizens of EU countries which have a reciprocal agreement with the UK and have permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man, or who do not need permission. Currently (as of May 2024) these countries are:
- Luxembourg
- Poland
- Portugal
- Spain
- Denmark
Citizens of the above countries may register to vote via the usual methods, the quickest of which being via the GOV website at: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
- 'EU citizens with retained rights' - EU citizens from any other EU country who have been legally resident in the UK since immediately before the 31 December 2020, when the UK left the EU.
Citizens of EU countries without reciprocal agreements with the UK, can also register to vote via the usual methods, but must now answer an additional question. This question relates to, when they started living in the UK and will determine their eligibility to vote. The quickest way to register to vote is via the GOV website at: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
NOTE: From May – August 2024, we will be conducting a review of EU citizens who were registered on the electoral role prior to the 7 May 2024.
This is known as the ‘Eligibility Confirmation Review’ (ECR).
The purpose of this review is to identify those who are eligible to remain registered, and those who are no longer eligible.
Further information on this project will be provided on our website soon and a link will be provided here once published.
The above changes will not affect citizens of the Republic of Ireland or citizens of EU Commonwealth nations (Ireland, Cyprus and Malta)
More information can be found here: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/our-views-and-research/elections-act/changes-eu-citizens
How can I register?
The quickest way to register is online via the GOV website, please follow the instructions below:
- Go to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
- Fill in your details including national insurance number and email address
How can I register for absent voting?
Anybody who is registered on the Electoral Register can apply to vote by post or appoint a proxy to vote on their behalf.
For more information on absent voting, please see our dedicated webpage here: https://www.midsussex.gov.uk/elections-voting/postal-and-proxy-voting/
I'm already registered – Do I need to do anything?
No. We will contact you if we need any more information from you.
To find out more go to:
What if I'm not registered?
The law says that you must register to vote. If you are not on the register you will find it very hard to:
- Open a bank account.
- Get credit, loans or a mortgage.
Important: You will not be able to vote if your name is not on the Register of Electors.
How do I find out if I'm on the register?
Please contact us using the information at the bottom of this page.
If you are on the electoral register, you can request a confirmation letter detailing your electoral registration from us. Please use the details at the bottom of this page to request this.
I'm moving home – What should I do?
Complete a new registration form online.
Once you have been added at your new home, we will delete your entry at the old property.
You can also contact us using the details at the bottom of this page to notify us of your change of address.
How do I change my name on the register?
Change your name by completing a Change of name form.
You will need to supply evidence of the change with the completed form.
How often is the register updated and who is it sent to?
Monthly alterations are provided to credit reference agencies and political parties.
Every year in July, the Electoral Services department conducts the Annual Electoral Canvass. This will involve us contacting all properties in Mid Sussex requesting whether their electoral register information is up-to-date and to update this if required.
The revised Register of Electors will be published on the first working day in December.
What happens to my information after I’ve registered?
We will only use the information you give us for electoral purposes. Personal contact details such as telephone numbers and email addresses are not included in the electoral register.
We will not give personal information about you and the other people in your household to anyone else unless we have to by law.
We keep two registers:
The Electoral Register
Used for:
- Political parties, candidates and their agents for election purposes
- Law enforcement for the prevention and detection of crime
- HM Courts Service for the random selection of citizens for jury service
- Credit referencing purposes
The Open Register
The open register is an extract of the electoral register, but is not used for elections. It can be bought by any person, company or organisation. For example, it is used by businesses and charities to confirm name and address details.
Your name will be included in the open register unless you ask for it to be removed.
You can find out more information on both registers on the register to vote page.
How do I remove my name from the open register?
Apply to remove your name from the open register
Removing your details from the open register will not affect your right to vote or your credit score.
You can use the 'opt out – open register' option on the registration form. You can also change your preference on the open register by filling in the Electoral Register preferences form.
If you have already removed your name from the open register, you do not need to do anything else unless you have moved home or for any reason you have needed to re-apply. To check your open register status, contact us.
Elector Register Viewings
You are able to view the full electoral register for the district at our offices located in Haywards Heath, our address is as follows:
Mid Sussex District Council
Oaklands Road
Haywards Heath
West Sussex
RH16 1SS
Please be aware that:
- By law, we can only provide the current year's register for inspection - once a new register is published, the previous versions are no longer available for public inspection. To view previous versions of the electoral register, please visit the West Sussex County Council records office. Details of which can be found here: https://www.westsussex.gov.uk/leisure-recreation-and-community/history-and-heritage/west-sussex-record-office/
- Viewings of the electoral register must be made under supervision, therefore it is not possible to search the register electronically and all viewings must be made in-person.
- You are only permitted to take handwritten notes, no copies or photographs of the register may be taken.
- The electoral register is organised by polling district and street name. It is not organised alphabetically, and it is not possible to search the register by name.
To arrange a viewing of the electoral register, please contact us using the details at the bottom of this page.
When contacting us to arrange a viewing, please provide the following information:
- Your name.
- Your contact information (so we can contact you regarding your appointment.)
- Your availability for a register viewing.
To assist your search, where possible please provide the following information:
- The name(s) of any individual you are searching the register for.
- A street name or area you wish to view.
Contact us
Tel: 01444-477003
Email: elections@midsussex.gov.uk