Cape Blue

I own property in Spain and have pensions and investments in the USA - in neither country can I vote, nor should I.

You don't live there anymore, you chose not to live there, why should you vote there?

You will also experience how the governments of the USA, China, Russia, Iran etc act but you can't vote their either.

Mark604

Because whichever Government there is in the UK will affect directly all that I mentioned in the previous post you've quoted, to state the bleedin' obvious. For me, that is reason enough to want to vote.
If you are happy with your situation then that's nice for you.
I have never been nor am still a citizen of the other countries so it's quite ridiculous what your logic is. Somewhat clutching at straws to try and make a point.

Red Eric

Because your government wants us to.

brits1

In your own words “your” government…(mine) your government is Spanish and so it should be, why on earth would you want to vote for a foreign government just because they said you can?you have made your life in Spain be happy with that.

Rosemary

"Your" government is linked to citizenship not residency. The vast majority of Brits who have residency in Spain have not taken citizenship therefore they remain attached to the system of the UK government.

Rosemary

bobd22

Exactly Rosemary it's about citizenship and choices no one is forced to accept the right to vote.

Red Eric

I'm in Portugal actually, and yes I'm very happy

They do seem pretty keen for me to devote the necessary few minutes to registering and voting, though - look : Overseas Voter Registration Coordinator

Seems a bit churlish to refuse.

brits1

The “your “ was meant as ….you live in Spain and are governed by Spanish law, I on the other hand live in the UK and are governed by British Law as I have said I have an Australian passport but I would never vote on matters that would effect people actually living in that country when it does/would not directly effect me that would be to my mind morally not right.

DLC

Why do you think UK government policy and laws don't affect British citizens as soon as they move abroad?

Mark604

"Why do you think UK government policy and laws don't affect British citizens as soon as they live abroad?"
We're coming back full circle to my comments way earlier. That was never answered and probably deemed irrelevant. The principle of not voting unless you live in the country seems to trump any other consideration.

Red Eric

But Australian electoral law only allows votes to Australians abroad if they intend to return to Oz within 6 years. Otherwise, non-residents should be removed from the electoral roll.

What would be morally not right in that scenario would be to wangle a vote in the full knowledge that you weren't entitled to one.

There's nothing morally wrong in UK citizens participating in elections when their government passes a law decreeing it, and the party in power wishes to thrust the opportunity in the faces of all whom they think might vote for them. Except perhaps on the part of that party, in which case it it incumbent upon the rest of us to show them the error of their ways.

As well as the fact that UK law does directly affect those of us who live abroad, as already pointed out numerous times.

BristolUK

Maybe countries could extend their "reciprocal arrangements" to voting.

It's true that some UK law affects me in Canada - what I can do with my passport is a significant one....or, more accurately, what I now cannot do with it.
But Canada's laws affect me far more and I cannot vote, even though I'm a permanent resident and have lived here for approaching 20 years, unless I apply for Citizenship, which is fairly costly and, voting aside, doesn't give me anything I don't already have.

Now it's even more bizarre, regaining the right to vote in the UK but not here.

Perhaps I could swap my UK vote for a Canadian one

BuckinghamshireBoy

Hah bloody hah!

Here's a starter for ten which in itself is not in any way perfect..

#16 January 2024

Casa Santo Estevo

I applied to vote. I found impossible hurdle to overcome. The Local Authority wants me to prove that I lived at the address where I stated I once did. However that is 23 maybe 24 years ago. I do not have any of the documents they ask for.


A list of approved documents for UK Overseas Elector Application

BristolUK

I did this for 2016 having qualified under the 15 year rule that existed at the time (I left the UK 2004) and simply advised the office of my address 12 years earlier.
Proving it wasn't an issue, presumably because the office to which I was registering with already had my electoral registration details from 2004 as well as access to Council Tax records for that address in 2004.
Perhaps you weren't on the electoral register for the address and time you gave details for? Or it's a different process and maybe they don't have the easy access they had for me.

There must be a variety of organisations - banks, DWP, tax office - who have your previous addresses on file that you could ask for a printed record that backs what you're saying.