All British citizens living abroad are eligible to vote in the upcoming UK general election, regardless of how long they have been living outside the UK. However, they must register to do so soon.
People in the United Kingdom will head to the polls on 4 July for early general elections which were called by Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on 22 May. However, millions of British people living abroad– including the many living in Belgium – can also bring out their vote either by post or by appointing someone to vote in their lace (proxy vote).
This group will be joined by an additional three million British citizens who have lived overseas for decades, as they regained their right to vote in UK elections after the so-called 15-year rule was overturned at the start of this year. This law disenfranchised any British citizen who had lived outside the United Kingdom for more than 15 years.
Since the 15-year rule was abolished, there have been over 100,000 applications to register to vote by UK citizens living overseas.
The Electoral Commission has encouraged all British people to register to vote and to do so before the deadline on midnight Tuesday 18 June (to vote in person). The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 17:00 on 19 June and to apply for a proxy vote is 17:00 on 26 June. "Proxy voting – when someone you trust votes on your behalf – may be a preferred option for anyone living further afield who is concerned about how long it might take to receive and return a postal vote."
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"If you live abroad and want to have your say in the UK general election on 4 July, you should register to vote now." Craig Westwood, Director of Communications, said. "It no longer matters how long you have been living outside the UK, if you are eligible, you can register and have your say at the ballot box." Applications can be made online on the UK government's website.
Applicants will need to provide details of the address and time they were last registered or resident in the UK.
