Start here: for voters
Democracy Classroom has everything you need to prepare for upcoming elections, inform yourself on the issues and get more engaged in democracy. Check out our ‘voter checklist’ below to make sure you’re all ready to use your vote and help others to use theirs, and scroll down for key info on registering to vote, deciding who to vote for and more.
Quick links
Key dates
Est April 2027
Voter registration deadline
You need to be registered by this deadline to be able to vote on election day. Registering takes five minutes and is quick and easy.
Est late April 2027
Deadline to apply for a postal vote
You may want to apply for a postal vote if you think you won’t be able to vote in person. You don’t need a reason to apply to vote by post in England.
Est late April 2027
Deadline to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate
You can apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate to use as ID if your election requires ID to vote.
Est late April 2027
Deadline to apply for a proxy vote
If you know that you won’t be able to get to the polling station on polling day, you can ask someone you trust to cast your vote on your behalf - this is called a proxy vote.
Est May 2027
Election day
Time to use your vote! Find out where your local polling station is and make plan to vote.
Prepare for election day
- Check when polling day is at the key dates list
- Find out where your nearest polling station is
- Check if you need voter ID [link to FAQ on voter ID]
- Plan what time you’ll vote - polling stations are normally open 7 until 10
- If you can’t make it on polling day, see if you can get someone else to be your proxy vote, or if you still have time to apply for a postal vote
- Get help for polling day if you need support for SEND or additional needs
Who can I vote for?
Who you can vote for depends on where you live and which election is taking place. You can find the candidates standing in your area at Who Can I Vote For? In some elections, you may be able to vote for more than one person - for example, Senedd elections use different voting arrangements depending on the ballot, so check the official election information for your area before you vote.
To decide who to vote for, check out the candidates’ and parties’ manifestos[link to manifestos page]. For smaller elections, there may not be a manifesto for every individual candidate, or one written specifically for that election - where that’s the case, it’s worth checking out the most recent manifesto from that candidate’s party.
How to register to vote
Why you need to register
You need to be registered before you can vote in most elections. Registering means that your local electoral services team knows you are eligible to vote and can send you the information you need.
How to check if you’re already registered
If you are unsure whether you are already registered, get in touch with your local electoral services team. They can confirm whether you are on the electoral register. Remember that if you’ve moved house since you last registered, you may need to re-register.
Who can register to vote
You can register if you:
- are 16 or over in England and Northern Ireland, or 14 or over in Scotland and Wales
- are a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen
- are an eligible EU citizen in some elections, depending on your circumstances
Find out if you are eligible to vote here.
You can register online in just a few minutes. You will usually need your date of birth and National Insurance number.
Voter checklist
- Make sure you’re registered to vote
- Check the key deadlines ahead of your next election
- Research who’s standing in your area so you can decide who to vote for
- Find out more at our FAQS about elections and voting