How to register to vote

To be able take part in elections or referendums you must register to vote. This can be done by visiting www.gov.uk/register-to-vote and adding yourself to the electoral register. You can do this online and will usually only take a few minutes.

You will be asked for your National Insurance number (although you can still register if you do not have one) and to provide details of your address.  

Making sure that your details are accurate and up-to-date

If you change your name, address, or nationality, then you will need to update your details and register again. Address changes are common for students, so, if you want to remain eligible to vote, you will need to visit the above site each time that you move and update your details on the register.

How to vote

Students can be registered to vote at both their term-time and home address; however, you can only vote once at a general election. Therefore, if you want to vote at your university term-time address, you need to make sure that you are correctly registered to do so. Likewise, if you would prefer to vote at your home address, please visit the Register to Vote site for further information on how you can do so.  

Depending on where you are living at the time of an election – for example if you are at your home address and want to vote in Loughborough – you may want to vote by post. If you do want to vote by post, you will need to apply for a postal vote. Further details on how to do this are linked below. The same will apply if you are in Loughborough but want your vote to be registered at your home address.

If you are unsure if you are already registered to vote, you can check by contacting your local authority. Details for the electoral services team at your local council are available from the gov.uk 'Contact your local Electoral Registration Office' page, linked below.

What to take with you when you cast your vote - Voter ID

If you are on the electoral register and you would like to vote, you MUST remember to take an accepted form of photo ID with you when going to the polling station.

Follow the link for further details on what is an accepted form of photo ID. 

Data sharing with Charnwood Borough Council

The University works very closely with Charnwood Borough Council to ensure that all registered students are kept informed on how to register to vote. Each year, the University shares the contact details of all registered students (of eligible nationality) to Charnwood Borough Council. Charnwood Borough Council then write to students (usually by email) a few times each year, providing simple instructions on how to register to vote.  We provide information about this in the Student Privacy Notice. 
 
More information about the types of elections you can take part in, eligibility to vote, and ways of voting is available from The Electoral Commission.