Advice for students on how to vote
With Local Elections coming up on 6 May and a Parliamentary Election likely to be called at any moment, the City Council is keen to help students understand the electoral process and register to vote in time.As a Parliamentary Election can be called at short notice, it is vital that students register to vote as soon as possible to guarantee being able to vote in the elections.
For most students, it will be their first opportunity to take part in the electoral process and some may not realise that they need to register to appear on the electoral register.
In most cases, students can register to vote both at home and at their term-time address. Providing they live and study in two separate local government areas, students can vote in local elections in both areas. However, they can only vote once in a UK Parliamentary Election.
To register, simply complete and return a Voter Registration Form which is available to print-off on the City Council’s website: http://www.winchester.gov.uk/CouncilAndDemocracy/DemocracyAndElections/ElectoralRegister/
The electoral register is updated monthly, but applications need to be made several weeks in advance to guarantee inclusion.
The latest date for registering to vote in time for elections held in May is Tuesday 20 April 2010.
Students can also learn more about the whole electoral process at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk