EU Elections - Make sure you can vote in Brent

From Brent4Europe


It’s difficult to predict what will happen with Brexit, but one thing is certain: if you are not registered to vote, your voice will not be heard.

Whether it’s European Parliament elections, a People’s Vote on Brexit or possibly even a General Election, you need to make sure you are registered or you will not be able to vote.

Note: there are local council elections in Northern Ireland and in some parts of England on 2 May, but not in London.

Turnout in EU elections in the UK is historically low — it was just 36% in 2014 — but we can change that to show just what the EU means to voters in Brent.

The EU recognises this as a problem and have started building a community of supporters to help encourage a higher voter turnout at the European elections. Their goal is not to tell people who they should vote for: it is to promote the act of voting itself, the act of engaging in the democratic process; and the act of doing so in a conscious and fully informed way. They want to harness the power of human interaction and build a community of supporters across Europe to rally behind the cause of voting and to stand up for the very idea of democracy. Together we can decide what kind of Europe we want to live in.

Visit their special website to find out more: This time I’m voting.

Residents of the United Kingdom who were citizens of other EU countries were not allowed to vote in the 2016 referendum unless they were citizens (or were also citizens) of the Republic of Ireland, of Malta, or of the Republic of Cyprus and only those 18 or over were allowed to vote. We do not know who will be able to vote next time.

In Brent, 55,000 residents are EU nationals from outside the EU. That is one in six of Brent 335,000 residents.

These residents must also consider whether they need to apply for Settled Status if we do leave the EU. If they don’t apply or are refused, they may have to leave the UK.

EU27 citizens in the UK

For the European Parliament elections on 23 May, EU27 citizens living in the UK have a choice: you can vote in the EU Elections in the UK or in your country of origin.

But you cannot vote in European Parliament elections in more than one country.

To vote in the UK, you must:

1.     Register to vote by 7 May 2019 (see below); and

2.     Fill in the European Parliament voter registration form (no need if you are from the Republic of Ireland, Malta or Cyprus); and

3.     Send the form to your local Electoral Registration Office by 7 May 2019

To find out more, visit Your Vote Matters by the Electoral Commission.

Younger voters

The Vote for your Future website encourages young people to register and vote, saying:

Every election is determined by those who show up

No matter how you vote, it’s important that young people get registered and turn out in this year’s European Elections.

Vote For Your Future is led by young people of all politics, and none.

We believe that all young people have a duty to take part in this year’s European Elections, which is why we will spend the next 5 weeks campaigning to get young people registered, informed and able to vote on 23^rd May.

How to register

To check whether you are already registered, to find out more including whether you are eligible and what you need to register, visit Brent Council’s Register to vote page, or contact them:

London Borough of Brent
Electoral Services
Civic Centre
Engineers Way
WEMBLEY
HA9 0FJ
020 8937 1372
electoral.services@brent.gov.uk
http://www.brent.gov.uk/elections

For more information on registering to vote, elections and how to vote, visit
Your Vote Matters by the Electoral Commission.

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