esperanza

Apologies if there has been a recent thread on this, I've not been around very much recently, but I wanted to post this link so that it's easy for everyone to do:

http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/documen...roxy-Forms.pdf

It will take you straight to the form you need to fill out & post back to make sure that you still get your UK vote, which you are entitled to as long as you were a registed voter within the last 15 years. Apparently there's a shocking number of expats who do not realise they are entitled or just don't bother to register themselves, so we are seriously under-represented! (More detail on article on main BE home page, but I know I often skip straight to the forums so I bet some other people do too and might miss the article!)

Sorry if I'm doubling up, but I think it's that important that it would be better to have two or three threads on it than none at all!

Get the form printed off & in the post this week, so that you can still have your vote in the UK. Do it today!

wmoore

Hmm. Not knocking you for posting this info but my opinion is that if you don't reside in the country, you should lose your vote. I don't have any desire to go out of my way to vote on matters that don't concern me and I don't pay any tax in that country to 'earn' my vote.

cresta57

I agree with those sentiments entirely Wayne Last time it was discussed though I recall being slated for my ignorance. Apparently lots of migrants have pension schemes in the U.K & wish to vote for whoever is not going to completely squander their fund.

Pollyana

Guess its of value to people who are living here for just a short time though - 457 visas for instance, and those who plan to return.

DerekM

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I have read the details of applying to vote before but it seems a waste of time as they dont issue the postal vote until 3 or 4 days before the day. So you wont receive it it time and if you did you could not return it in time! The only way it seems is a proxy vote.
Why cant you vote at the embassy as some other countries allow?

Centurion

If people here want to vote in the UK elections, fair enough. Its your right.

Personally I am Australian and I live in Australia. Im not on holiday. I dont have any real interest in whats going on in the UK and am out of touch. This will get worse as the years go on.

For that reason I wont vote in UK elections or apply for a postal vote.

I will of course vote in Australian elections since its the law and secondly its my home and I should have a say in how its governed.

Pollyana

I don't know about the timeline, knowing I wouldn't be returning to the UK I've never looked into it that much. Perhaps someone who is still registered to vote could post about whether the system actually works within the timeframne allowed?

esperanza

Interesting responses! I did think of the 'we don't live there so we don't care', but for me I feel that it is still my country - I am still solely a British Citizen, I may return in the future, and it is still where many close friends & family reside so I will always have an interest in what happens there, and if I might be able to influence it for the better then I will. Plus I am sure lots of people are or will be affected by decisions about UK pensions for expats - there is a great deal of inequity in the current system, and if there were several million expat votes to consider then maybe the issue would get a bit more attention!
Fair play though to those who have left it all behind and are no longer interested, it's everyone's individual choice.

It's true that the postal voting won't really work from Australia, it would take too long, but you can arrange to vote by proxy. Just pick someone who you are comfortable telling which way you want to vote. It's all explained on the form that I posted the link to. I just think everyone should be aware that it is their right to vote if they want to, then they can make their own informed decision about what they want to do.

Wol

You're right about the time factor - it's as if it has been deliberately made impossible to vote.

Why we can't vote by post in advance I don't know - hundreds of thousands of fraudulent votes are cast that way anyway!