The General Election

Your Voice Matters. Make it loud.

GENERAL ELECTION

4 July 2024

It has been announced that on 4 July 2024 a General Election will be held.
Here’s all you need to know, including how to get involved and key deadlines.

Timeline:

22 May 2024 - General Election called for 4 July 2024
18 June 2024 - Register to Vote in person by 11.59pm
19 June 2024 - Register to postal vote by 5pm
26 June 2024 - Register for Voter Authentication Certificate by 5pm
4 July 2024 - Polling Day from 7am to 10pm

JULY

Polling Day 7am - 10pm 4 July 2024

JUNE

MAY

General Election called for 4 July 2024

What is a General Election

This is where you have the opportunity to vote for your local MP (Member of Parliament). Your elected MP will represent you and your local area in the House of Commons for up to five years. There will be a choice of multiple candidates in each constituency and the candidate with the most votes will become your MP.

You are voting to elect your local MP, not a Prime Minister. The political party who wins the most seats will form the new government, their appointed leader will then become the Prime Minister.

Why does the General Election Matter?

The party who wins with the most elected MP’s will form the government and have control over things like education (including student fees) and how the NHS is funded. The government affects everyone in the United Kingdom and you have the power to effect change. Your voice matters. Make it loud.

How to vote

Check you are eligible to vote and register by 11.59pm 18 June 2024 (in person voting on polling day) (GOV.UK/REGISTER-TO-VOTE)
But there’s more, you’ll need to have an accepted form of photo ID to vote on the day (GOV.UK/HOW-TO-VOTE/PHOTO-ID-YOULL-NEED)
If you are out of the country on polling day, you still have a voice and can vote by post! Register for a postal vote here by 5pm 19 June 2024.

How do i decide who to vote for?

This is a personal choice only you can make.
You can find out who your local candidates here.
Research your candidates’ policies and what they stand for and vote for who represents you!
Your voice matters. Make it loud.

Can i vote as an international Student?

You can check if you are eligible to vote at CANIVOTE.ORG If you are eligible, don’t forget to register to vote at GOV.UK/REGISTER-TO-VOTE

Do I register at my student address or home address?

You can be registered to vote at more than one address however, you may only cast one vote - this is usually where you are living on polling day. If you have registered to vote before but moved since - you will need to re-register at GOV.UK/REGISTER-TO-VOTE

I have registered before do i need to do it again?

If you have changed address or name since you last registered, you will need to register again. Click here to register again. Can I still vote if I’m out of the country on polling day? Absolutely! Register for a postal vote before 5pm 19 June 2024 here.

What is voter ID

To vote in person on 4 July 2024, you will need to bring an accepted form of ID. Government guidelines list the following;

a UK or Northern Ireland photocard driving licence (full or provisional)
a driving licence issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, the Isle of Man or any of the Channel Islands
a UK passport
a passport issued by an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or a Commonwealth country
a PASS card (National Proof of Age Standards Scheme)
a Blue Badge
a biometric residence permit (BRP)
a Defence Identity Card (MOD form 90)
a national identity card issued by the EU, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein
a Northern Ireland Electoral Identity Card
a Voter Authority Certificate
an Anonymous Elector’s Document
an older person’s bus pass
a disabled person’s bus pass
an Oyster 60+ card
a Freedom Pass
a Scottish National Entitlement Card (NEC)
a 60 and Over Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
a Disabled Person’s Welsh Concessionary Travel Card
a Northern Ireland concessionary travel pass

Voter ID has created a barrier for me

You can apply for a Voter Authority Certificate here by 5pm 26 June 2024.
You will need to provide:

Your name
Date of Birth
Address
National Insurance Number
A photo of yourself

If you do not know your National Insurance Number, or don’t have one, you can still apply! Your local council will contact you and ask for an alternative proof of your identity.
You do not need to provide your identity when apply for the Voter Authority Certificate but you must apply using the same name you used when registering to vote.
Staff at the polling station are there to help and support you, they are trained to check your name (to ensure you are on the electoral register), and ensure your voter ID is valid (to do this it must look like you). They are not checking your gender markers, address, or nationality.

Elections Check list

Check you are eligible to vote HERE.
Register to vote HERE.
Check out your local candidates HERE.
Make sure you have a valid photo ID, check the list of accepted forms of photo ID HERE
Find your local polling station / apply to post your vote HERE
VOTE! Your voice matters. Make it loud

Jargon Buster

Austerity -: living without things that aren't necessary and making do with limited resources. An ‘austerity measure’ is an official action taken by the government to reduce the money it spends.
Ballot paper -: the paper on which you cast your vote. You will mark an X in the box next to the name of the person you want to win.
Candidate -: a person who's running for election.
Constituency -: the area that your elected MP represents. There are 650 constituencies in the UK and therefore 650 MP’s.
Deficit -: the difference between what the government collects in taxes and what it spends. Cutting the country's deficit is a key talking point.
Electoral Register -: the list of everyone who's registered to vote. You need to be registered to be able to vote on 4 July. Click here to register
First past the post -: this is the voting system the UK uses. It means that the candidate with the most votes wins.
Fiscal -: The word "fiscal" mainly refers to how the government manages the country's finances: raising taxes, government spending and how much the UK has to borrow.
Hung parliment -: This happens if no political party gets the majority of votes.
Manifesto -: a list of a party's ideas and policies. It will outline what they plan to do if elected.
Party -: the term ‘political party’ refers to a group that has common political goals. Most MPs belong to a political party.
Pledge -: a promise from a political party.
Policy -: a plan of action.
Polling station -: where you will cast your vote in person. Find out where you local polling station is here.
Spoilt ballot -: when ballot paper is marked incorrectly. This could be leaving it blank or marking more than one cross. Spoilt votes don't count towards the final result.
Strategic or Tactical voting -: Strategic or tactical voting is where a voter considers how other voters may cast their vote in order to maximize their satisfaction with the election's results.
Swing -: how much of a change in support there is from one party to another.
Turn Out -: the number or percentage of people who actually turned out to vote.