Voting rights for EU citizens

Changes to the voting rights of some EU citizens.

The Elections Act 2022 removes the voting and candidacy rights for some EU citizens living in the UK. You might keep your voting rights depending on your nationality and how long you have lived in the UK.

We will contact you by email or post if we need further information from you.

If we contact you and we do not receive a response, a canvasser may visit you at your address. If we do not receive a response from you by the deadline, you will be removed from the electoral register.

If we have asked you for further information, reply to us about your voting rights.

Citizens of Cyprus, Republic of Ireland or Malta

You still have full voting rights at all UK elections and referendums. Your voting rights are not impacted by these changes.

Qualifying countries

If you are a citizen of Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal or Spain, you will keep your right to vote in local elections regardless of how long you have lived in the UK.

The UK Government has negotiated agreements to allow citizens of these countries living in the UK to vote. The same right to vote applies to UK citizens living in these countries.

You do not need to provide us with any further information.

Retained rights

For citizens of all other EU countries, you will keep your voting rights if you have continuously lived in the UK since 31 December 2020.

We might request further information from you to stay on the electoral register.

Further information

See the Electoral Commission website.