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Registering to vote

If you change address or are not yet registered to vote, you should register to vote as soon as you can to avoid missing important elections.

Your registration application will be checked by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) before we can add you to the electoral register.

We may need to ask for further evidence to support your application if the DWP cannot match your details. This usually takes a few days, but it can take up to a few weeks.

If there is an upcoming election, you must register before the deadline. You can find the latest deadline dates on our upcoming elections page.

How to register

To register, you will need to provide the following details which helps make the electoral register more secure:

  • National Insurance Number
  • date of birth

Register to vote

Who can register to vote

You can register to vote in the UK if you are a:

  • British, Irish or European Citizen, living in the UK and aged 16 or over
  • Commonwealth Citizen with leave to remain in the UK, aged 16 or over

You can still register at an address in Maidstone if you:

  • are a lodger and have no other home
  • normally live there but are temporarily away - for example, you are a student, travelling or in hospital
  • have no fixed address, but have a connection to the area
  • have another home elsewhere
  • are 16 or 17 years old

You will need to email us if you:

  • have no fixed address
  • are a member of the armed forces, their partner or family member
  • are a Crown servant or British Council employee
  • are responsible for patients in mental hospitals or remand prisoners or
  • are a British Citizen living abroad

When you register to vote you should receive written confirmation that you have been registered successfully. If you are unsure if you are registered please contact us.

Registering in two locations

If you are a student studying away from home, you can register to vote at both your home and term-time address. If you have a second home and live there regularly, you can register at both properties.

When a local election is taking place you can vote at both properties. When a general election is taking place you can choose to vote at either property, but you can only vote once.

The electoral register

For more information about the electoral register and how to change your details, visit our electoral register page.