Voting & Elections

WHO CAN VOTE

For a person to have the right to vote in England and Wales certain conditions must be satisfied. They need to be at least 18 years old to vote on the day of the election and their name must be on the electoral register. Further they must be a citizen of, and live in the United Kingdom.

EXCLUDED PERSONS

People who are unable to vote include those who are held compulsorily for treatment for a mental illness, or in prison for longer than 12 months, members of the house of lords, and anyone convicted of corrupt practices at an election during the previous 5 years.

REGISTRATION TO VOTE

Every year an electoral registration form is sent to each home in the country. This form needs to be completed and returned with details of all people who reside in that household who are over 17 and may be eligible to vote. The information given goes onto the electoral register copies of which are available at the local public library. If someone moves away then they can obtain a postal vote provided they are on the electoral register.

STANDING FOR ELECTION

Anyone can stand for political office from the age of 21. Local councillors must live or work in the area where they wish to represent. Members of Parliament and Members of the European Parliament can live anywhere. They have to put up a deposit of £1,500, which they lose if they get only a small percentage of the vote.

LOCAL ELECTIONS

Local elections are held every 4 years. These consist of District, Parish and County elections. Local government organises all sorts of matters that affect our locality, such as roads, refuse, education, transport, libraries, planning, etc.

GENERAL ELECTIONS

There are 651 Members of Parliament in England Wales and Northern Ireland. They each represent a specific area of the country, called a constituency. M.P.’s often belong to a particular political party. If that party has the most number of M.P.’s then they can form a government with it’s party leader becoming the Prime Minister. General Elections must take place every 5 years.

EUROPEAN ELECTIONS

The European Parliament is in Strasbourg, France. It is made up of 12 countries that form the European Union. European elections are held every 5 years to elect Members of European Parliament (M.E.P.’s). There are 87 M.E.P.’s in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. European laws are known as Directives or Regulations. The non-elected commission makes up these laws. However M.E.P.’s can advise the commission on the format and obstruct the creation of the new laws.

THE TREATY OF MAASTRICT

This states that most new laws made in Europe automatically become effective and valid law in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, so long as it does not clash with our own laws.