In a recent development, a change in UK law has expanded the voting rights of British citizens living abroad, allowing them to participate in United Kingdom Parliament elections. This transformative update enables individuals, regardless of the duration of their residency outside the UK, to register and cast their votes in UK general elections.
The British High Commission Islamabad is actively supporting an awareness campaign initiated by the UK’s Electoral Commission to inform and encourage British residents in Pakistan to verify their eligibility. The Electoral Commission, an independent and impartial organization overseeing UK elections, is at the forefront of this effort.
Under the new legislation, individuals with prior residency or voting registration in the UK are now entitled to vote in UK Parliament elections. The registration process is conveniently available online at www.gov.uk/registertovote, and registrants are required to confirm their personal information every three years.
Moreover, being on the UK electoral register not only grants the right to vote but also qualifies individuals as permissible donors to UK political parties and campaigners.
The spokesperson for the British High Commission emphasized the importance of spreading awareness about this significant legal change. The spokesperson urged individuals who used to reside in the UK or know someone who did to share information about their eligibility for participation in the upcoming UK general election.
The registration process is streamlined, taking only five minutes, and can be conveniently completed online at gov.uk/registertovote. Additionally, applicants now have the option to apply online for postal or proxy voting.
Applicants are required to furnish details of their last registered or resident address, along with the time they were last registered. Local authorities will verify the applicant’s identity and past connection to the area. Detailed information is available on the Electoral Commission’s website, and voters living overseas can find contact details for the relevant local council by entering the postcode of their last UK residence using the Commission’s postcode lookup tool. This positive change ensures that more British citizens residing abroad can actively participate in shaping the democratic process of the United Kingdom.
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