Today marks International Day of Democracy, and the theme for 2023 is ‘Empowering the next generation’. Young people have an essential role in advancing democracy and we need to ensure their voices are included in the decisions that have a profound impact on their world.

Research from the Electoral Commission shows that one in three young people are not registered to vote in the UK, making young people the least politically active age group.

While a general election hasn’t yet been called in the UK, an election could be called at any point and we want to make sure you have the information you need to register to vote.

Am I eligible to vote?

To be eligible to vote in a general election, someone must:

• be 18 or over on the day of the election (‘polling day’)
• be a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen
• be resident at an address in the UK (or a British citizen living abroad who has been registered to vote in the UK in the last 15 years)
• not be legally excluded from voting
• be registered to vote

For more information, visit the government’s website.

How do I register to vote?

If you are a new student and eligible to vote, we recommend you register as part of the University’s annual online registration process. You can register online for the 2023/24 academic year now.

In our online registration system, under “Register to Vote”, you will need to complete a few
simple details and save your data. The University securely passes this information to the
Electoral Registration Officer for Brighton & Hove.

Alternatively, you can also register via the government’s website.

If you’re a returning student who has moved into a new residence, you’ll need to re-register at your new address.

You can register via the government’s website.

Voter ID

New rules implemented in 2022 now mean that you must provide photo ID when voting in person at an election.

Photo ID includes a passport, driving licence or other document such as a passport. If you don’t
have any photo ID, you can apply for a free voter ID document called a Voter Authority
Certificate. You must already be registered to vote to apply for the free voter ID.

You can find out more about ID and register for a Voter Authority Certificate on the government’s website.

If you want to check if you are already registered in Brighton & Hove, you can call the
Electoral Registration Office on 01273 291999.

Registering to vote is a quick step that ensures you are able to have your say in local and
general elections. Make sure you don’t miss the opportunity.