Snowy560

Hi all,

I had thought that we would be unable to vote in the upcoming EU Referendum, but it seems that British Citizens with less than 15 years overseas can do so. Are any of you planning to vote? (I am not asking how you plan to vote, only if you are planning to!!)

I am probably being a bit lazy, but can anyone tell me how to ensure I will be able to vote for this.

Who will be able to vote?
British, Irish and Commonwealth citizens over 18 who are resident in the UK, along with UK nationals who have lived overseas for less than 15 years. Members of the House of Lords and Commonwealth citizens in Gibraltar will also be eligible, unlike in a general election. Citizens from EU countries - apart from Ireland, Malta and Cyprus - will not get a vote.


A guide to the UK's planned in-out EU referendum - BBC News


S

Novocastrian

I'll tell you if you tell me which way you're going to vote first.

Snowy560

I think the wording of the Referendum will be:

Remain a member of the EU
or
Leave the EU.

EU referendum: Cameron accepts advice to change wording of question | Politics | The Guardian

Are you going to vote?

S

BritInParis

Are you already registered to vote? Did you vote in the last general election from Canada?

If not then: https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

rivingtonpike

I believe that anybody who is registered to vote in UK national elections will be eligible to vote in the EU Referendum. I think the requirement is that you have been registered to vote in the UK within the last 15 years.

Snowy560

Thank you!

I'm not sure that I was. I think my daughter registered but I didn't. I should have. This is important to me. I will register.

I feel the relative powerlessness of being a PR in Canada. I am not eligible to take part in the political process here. I need to feel that I count somewhere!

What's the purpose of the "15 year rule"?

S

BritInParis

None other than to disenfranchise British expats. The Conservatives pledged to grant expats 'votes for life' in their manifesto but this hasn't happened as of yet.

BristolUK

I know the feeling. I'm just not convinced that I want to...what's the word...legitimise the politicians here by voting for them and enabling them to carry on rewarding those that helped them get elected.

I feel there's much less of that in the UK than here but I find it hard to vote on UK matters while I no longer live there.

Snowy560

I'm probably not as far removed from it as you. It's still only a few years for me since I left. The EU Referendum is something I want to vote on.

I thought I had seen all this stuff saying (or somehow got the impression that), you couldn't actually vote in the Referendum if you didn't live in the UK. Obviously I was (happily) wrong.

So the Conservatives wanted to scrap the 15 year rule so that even if you'd lived away longer you could still vote?

Anyone else intending to vote in the EU ref?


S

rivingtonpike

I'm certainly going to vote

Pizzawheel

Hmm, I'm only 14 years out of blighty, but my last few years there I wasn't registered to vote. Shame cos if like to keep the UK in the EU just to keep the value in the citizenship + passport.

Snowy560

I've registered (Thank you BIP!).

I'm on the "Remain in" side!

S

BristolUK

Good point. Canadian citizenship never appealed to me as I wasn't likely to want a government job and I can't imagine wanting to vote from what I've seen of Canadian politicians.

Not being in the EU would take away a massive advantage of the UK passport.

Pizzawheel

If the Scottish referendum had been a yes it's why I'd probably have gone for a Scottish passport rather than RoUK- as I could see England opting out quite easily.

Though the constraint that you're only allowed two doesn't seem to be based on any firm evidence.

beckiwoo

Is this what you need to fill in if you are an overseas citizen to enable postal vote/proxy?