Voting rights for EU citizens living in England

Electoral Review of EU Citizens

As of May 2024, following the UK's departure from the European Union, the voting rights for EU citizens living in England have changed.

To register to vote, EU citizens now need to meet specific eligibility criteria based on their country of origin and when they began residing in the UK.

Two groups of EU citizens will continue to have voting rights:

1. Qualified EU citizens from countries with reciprocal voting arrangements who have leave, or do not require it, to remain in the UK. These countries currently include Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, and Spain.
2. EU citizens who were residing in the UK before the end of the EU Withdrawal Agreement Implementation Period, which was on 31 December 2020.

If you have received a letter regarding your voting eligibility

Wokingham Borough Council is reviewing all EU citizens registered to vote. As part of this review, we will contact all EU citizens to either:

• Confirm they are still eligible to vote in some UK elections, or
• Request additional information if their eligibility is unclear, which will be used to confirm whether they are still eligible.

If you confirm that you no longer meet the eligibility criteria or do not provide the requested details, your eligibility to vote will be withdrawn.

What do I need to do?

• If you have received a letter confirming that you meet the new eligibility requirements, no action is needed. You will remain eligible to vote in upcoming local elections
• If you have received a letter or email asking to provide further information to confirm your eligibility, please follow the instructions in the letter.

You can respond by either:

• Visiting the Gov.uk website and using the security codes included in your letter or email, or
• Completing the paper form and returning it to us.

What if I have obtained new citizenship or changed nationality?

If you have gained new citizenship or changed your nationality since you last registered to vote, you must re-register under your new nationality. Visit the Gov.uk website.

Changes in your citizenship or nationality may affect your eligibility to vote in certain elections.

Where can I find more information?

More information is available on the Electoral Commission website.