UK voting
 

Another year, another request to vote from abroad. Does anyone else vote in UK elections whilst living in the US?

I am thinking of letting it lapse, as well as my UK passport. For my family I want to clear that I am US domicile (i'm a dual citizen). After my Mum passes, I may renounce British citizenship for the above reasoned domicile consideration.

Re: UK voting
 

I stopped voting as soon as we were resident in the USA. I didn't let anything "lapse", just stopped voting, it wasn't worth the effort to figure out how to unregister to vote.

Re: UK voting
 

I voted until I had been out of the UK too long to vote, at least in elections when my ballot arrived in time for me to return it.

Did the government get around to abolishing the time limit? I know it has been discussed for a number of years.

Re: UK voting
 

It used to be 15 years.

https://www.gov.uk/voting-when-abroad

Re: UK voting
 

I believe time limit was abolished, but still not law (dont quote me on that).

My yearly form to the district council arrived to re-register. I think I will let is lapse this time.

And yes, Pulaski, things rarely arrived on time anyway.

Re: UK voting
 

And the Brexit vote was 14½ years after I left the UK. :)

Re: UK voting
 

It certainly hadn't been passed as law as recently as March, when I moved back home.

Re: UK voting
 

Time limit still applies. Has been discussed but has not got any further.
Thanks to Brexit I can't vote for anything as an EU resident apart than for the local water board apparently!

Re: UK voting
 

For the hell of it I thought I would register. Left in 2000.

Yep, denied as per the 15 year time limit. If it ever changes I'll reapply.

Re: UK voting
 

Yes we still register to vote but we only moved to the US 6 years ago and were already retired and receiving our UK state pensions. As they, and our pensions from our UK jobs, are our only source of income we think it is in our best interests to have an input. We do everything by email and have found it works fine for us.

Re: UK voting
 

The law has been changed but secondary legislation is required to actually implement the change.

Re: UK voting
 

Dual national brother-in-law, says that if there is a vote for Scotland to leave the UK, he wii reestablish Scottish residence with the idea of having EU nationality back in due course.

Re: UK voting
 

I also emigrated in 2004 and was able to register in my old Ealing district to vote in the Brexit referendum. Not sure if the mail in thing got there on time.
The next election I tried for was beyond 15 years. I believe there was some option to do proxy vote , but not sure and I did not follow up.

Re: UK voting
 

I think this is the secondary legislation that was required to allow expats a "vote for life":

https://statutoryinstruments.parliam...eline/PuUE0ztK

It looks like it has all been approved, but the legislation was FAR too long and complicated for my pea-brain to check all the details. I did, however notice this:

So my understanding is that from 16th January 2024 the 15 year limit will be abolished (having been here for 14½ years that's pretty timely for me).

Three cheers to the late Harry Shindler OBE!!

Re: UK voting
 

Confirmed :regular_smile:
https://www.gov.uk/voting-when-abroad

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...859d14c6c9.png