Voting UK

[Judi_bk]

We just had emails to renew our postal vote.  Nothing on the form mentions how long we have bèen out of UK.  We left in August 2004.  Saying nothing 

[frankie]

Interesting.  Does anyone know where the ruling that we cannot vote in UK after living here for 15 years comes from?

[Judi_bk]

We left in late August but the people who bought our house didn't move in until September so maybe we are down as still being there in September

[frankie]

Possibly, but surely it is down to how many years we have been here.  Who says we cannot vote beyond 15 years   I cannot find it anywhere...

[knowall]

Here you go, Frankie:
https://www.gov.uk/elections-in-the-uk

[Judi_bk]

They have emailed again to say there probably won't be time for overseas postal votes and send proxy forms

[frankie]

I can only see which EU countries we can live in to vote but nothing about not being able to after 15 years.
Just had another look and the next line down from which countries apply is a post which says if you were eligible to vote in UK within the last 15 years then you still can be. I have been eligible for all the past 15 years while living here.  It is a bit ambiguous.  I have no post this morning down at Correos so will see if I can get any info from my old council...

[BRIMAR]

There has been talk since 2015 regarding scrapping the 15 year rule. Perhaps they are just ignoring it till it gets sorted 

https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/SN05923

[jimmymac]

Well I had an email from them last year asking if I had been resident anywhere in the UK in the previous 15 years, unfortunately as I had always dated our leaving the UK as August 2003 in all former communications I had to say NO. So in a nutshell don't think we now have a vote.

[frankie]

Am I the only one who thinks the Gov.Uk election site is ambiguous? 
Especially "or a UK citizen living abroad who has been registered to vote in the UK in the past 15 years".
I have been registered to vote there in the past 15 years.  I register every 2 years and will be making contact with them tomorrow to clarify.

[AnnieM]

I’ll be interested to hear what they say Frankie.

[frankie]

Yes, I just hope <i can get through without too much waiting to be connected.
It doesn't say anything about living there in the last 15 years, just registered to vote there.

[jimmymac]

Am I the only one who thinks the Gov.Uk election site is ambiguous? 
Especially "or a UK citizen living abroad who has been registered to vote in the UK in the past 15 years".
I have been registered to vote there in the past 15 years.  I register every 2 years and will be making contact with them tomorrow to clarify.

No you are not the only one Frankie as I also find it far from clear, as it would indicate as long as you have been registered to vote in the UK in the last 15 years then you are eligible to vote in the next 15 years if you are registered. Sincerely hope you get clarification...

[frankie]

They are obviously very short staffed or they simply do not want to speak to me.  I hung on for ages waiting to be transferred a couple of times and gave up in the end.
Checking my last paperwork confirming my registration to vote, I see it was last done on MARCH 12TH 2019.  I will keep at it though....
So glad you also find it confusing jimmymac.

[knowall]

Try this one Frankie.
https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/overseas-voters
I don't know how many ways it needs to be said, but expats lose their right to vote in the UK 15 years after the last registration when they lived there.

It was number 3 on my list of reasons to return to the UK. Regain the right to vote.