UK born Canadian wanting to vote & get UK political party membership
Posted by Agreeable_Reserve_59@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 7 comments
Super embarrassing but I left the UK when I was a kid and have no idea how to engage in the political system of my home country. I have dual citizenship from the UK & Canada.
I can’t figure out how to vote in elections in the UK or join political parties over there. I don’t know if I’m searching wrong but I can’t find anything on the government website.
If any Brits living abroad have figured either of these things out please let me know!!
4BennyBlanco4@reddit
Why?
If you left as a kid, grew up abroad and are still living abroad this is basically foreign interference I hope you don't figure it out.
NotMyUsualLogin@reddit
Hyperbole much?
If they have the right to vote, then they have the right to vote.
Many folk who live abroad can be a lot more educated on national affairs than those who live at home.
Who are you to deny them their right to do this?
Ricksa@reddit
Wish people fought this hard for us legal migrants who have lived here for over a decade and our voting rights, instead now we got reformers trying to take our ILR status away.
Telecom_VoIP_Fan@reddit
British overseas citizens do have the right to vote in UK elections. You can apply for a postal vote or select a proxy i.e. someone to vote on your behalf. You will need to prove your UK birth and also have a national insurance number. First of all, you need to Register to vote - GOV.UK. Go to the site and see if you have all the personal information you need to enter. Regarding parties, I do not know if any parties have overseas branches. If any do, it is more likely a party like the Greens that take an internationalist stand on many issues.
jarvischrist@reddit
How strong are your connections to the UK? Do you plan on moving back one day? I just ask that because if you have little connection... It's a bit weird to vote in another country's elections. There used to be a law about losing your right to vote after 15 or so years outside the UK, but that was lifted fairly recently, so it is possible. Only a minority of Brits are members in a political party, so that's not a necessity to be politically engaged. Just try to keep informed about our politics to start with.
mmoonbelly@reddit
Commonwealth citizens can vote in the UK if resident in the UK.
British nationals resident overseas vote in the constituency where they were last resident in the UK. (Eg I moved from London to The Hague, I stay registered in the London constituency of my previous address).
callipygian0@reddit
You can vote abroad https://www.gov.uk/voting-when-living-abroad
I’m not sure on the rules of joining political parties.. is there a particular reason you want to? It’s not a common thing to do and as you aren’t in the uk you won’t be able to go to events etc.