Wednesday, 30 April 2025
As a university student, you can vote in local elections at both your home and term-time addresses.
Looking to vote in todays local election?
In order to vote today you will need to have registered to vote already and be on the electoral roll, you can find out if you are on the electoral roll by: receiving a polling card in the mail, talking to the officers at your nearest polling station or by getting in touch with the electoral registration office.
You will also need to bring suitable ID with you in order to cast your vote. Polling stations should display examples of suitable ID or you can read more about the accepted forms of ID via this webpage
Polling stations will be open to voters from 7am to 10pm and any voter in a queue at 10pm should still be allowed to vote.
You can register to vote directly with the local authority or do so while enrolling at UoN as a student. You can also give us permission to share your details with the local council for the purpose of registering to vote. They will then contact you directly via your university email address towards the end of term to finalise details with you directly.
To consent to sharing your data with the local council, please select ‘confirm’ when you reach the ‘voter registration’ page during online registration (see below example).
Why register to vote
Voting affects you and the people around you in a number of ways at local and national levels. Registering to vote allows you to choose how to take part in our democratic process. Those who don't register miss this chance when elections come around. Students make up one in seven of the local population and so by voting, you and your peers can make a real difference.
Being on the electoral register has some other benefits as well. It's an easy way to boost your credit score, which can be beneficial when renting or buying a home - as well as accessing lower interest rates on bank loans or taking out contracts like your phone. It can also reduce unwanted mail at your address by confirming who lives there - and who doesn't.
Home students can register to vote online, you just need five minutes and your National Insurance number.
Register to vote
International students
Many international students living in the UK can also register to vote in local elections. All UK, Irish, or EU citizens can register, as well as citizens from some commonwealth countries.
Find out more about eligibility