Crown Servants and Service Voters

There are special ways to register for Crown Servants including British Council, and members of HM Armed Forces.

Crown Servants

Crown Servants and their husbands, wives or civil partners while posted anywhere overseas, can register to vote in all UK elections. Contact the Electoral Services Office for a form to complete and return via the relevant Government or British Council department.

Armed Forces

Service personnel in the Army Navy or RAF Forces and husbands, wives or civil partners can register in the standard way by adding details to the annual canvass form sent to every household each Autumn or completing a "rolling registration" form.

Alternatively they may complete a Service Declaration Form for either their current UK address or the address where they would be resident if not in the forces.

Both forms of registration must be renewed to remain registered. Standard registration lasts one year and Service declarations last for three years.

The benefit of registering on a Service Declaration Form is that the form is sent to where you are serving, anywhere in the world. A normal elector renewal can only be sent to the particular address in Richmond.

How to cast your vote on election day

Every category of elector may apply to vote by post or by proxy.

Please note that postal votes can only be sent out a week before election day, so if living abroad there may not be enough time for your postal papers to reach you and be sent back before voting closes. In these circumstances it may be better to appoint a proxy to vote on your behalf instead.