UK To Amend Voting Rules For Citizens Overseas

October 7, 2016

The United Kingdom Government published details today [Oct 7] of their planned approach to removing the current 15-year-rule on British citizens living overseas voting in parliamentary elections.

The official announcement on the UK Government website said, “The policy seeks to remove the current rule that means British citizens abroad can only vote for 15 years from the point they were last registered to vote in the UK. The policy seeks to give the right to vote to all British citizens overseas who were previously resident or registered to vote in the UK.

“It will ensure that all eligible overseas electors are able to register to vote and renew their registration in a convenient and timely fashion while maintaining the integrity of the electoral register and guarding against fraud.”

Chris Skidmore, UK Minister for the Constitution, said: “This statement shows how we will introduce ‘votes for life’, scrapping the 15-year rule. British citizens who move abroad remain a part of our democracy and it is important they have the ability to participate.

“Following the British people’s decision to leave the EU, we now need to strengthen ties with countries around the world and show the UK is an outward-facing nation. Our expat community has an important role to play in helping Britain expand international trade, especially given two-thirds of expats live outside the EU.”

The UK Government’s Overseas Electors Policy Statement is below [PDF here]

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  1. mixitup says:

    “especially given two-thirds of expats live outside the EU.”

    The whole 2/3 seem to be here in Bermuda..