Register to vote
Contents
- How to register
- Who can register
- Reasons to register
- Check if you're already registered to vote
- When your details will be included on the Register of Electors
How to register to vote
If you do not have access to the internet, phone us on 0191 427 7000. We can complete your application over the phone.
Information about how we handle your personal data is available in the Council's Privacy Notice - Electoral Services.
Register online
- Go to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
- Fill in your name, address, date of birth and a few other details. You'll also need your national insurance number, which can be found on your national insurance card, or in official paperwork such as payslips, or letters about benefits or tax credits.
- Look out for a confirmation to say you're registered.
Who can register to vote
You can register to vote in the UK if you are:
- a resident (usually live) in the UK, and
- aged 16 or over (but you will not be able to vote until you are 18)
You must also be either:
- a British, Irish or European Union citizen, or
- a Commonwealth citizen who has leave to remain in the UK or who does not require leave to remain in the UK
Reasons to register to vote
To be able to vote in elections, you must be registered.
If you aren't registered to vote, you won't have the chance to have a say on who represents you.
Some people also register to vote because they want to apply for credit. Credit reference agencies use the Electoral Register to confirm where someone lives when they apply for credit to counteract fraud.
If you don't register to vote, you won't have a say at future elections and referendums. If you don't respond to requests for information from the Electoral Registration Office you could be at risk of getting fined £80.
Check if you're already registered to vote
To check if you are already registered, you can contact the Elections Office:
The Elections Office
Town Hall and Civic Offices
Westoe Road
South Shields
Tyne and Wear
NE33 2RL
Phone: 0191 424 7230
Email: elections@southtyneside.gov.uk
When your details will be included on the Register of Electors
The following table gives the dates when you will be included on the register of electors depending when we receive your application.
| Last day to apply to register to vote | Date your details will be included on the Register of Electors |
|---|---|
| Monday 13 December 2021 | Tuesday 4 January 2022 |
| Monday 10 January 2022 | Tuesday 1 February 2022 |
| Monday 7 February 2022 | Tuesday 1 March 2022 |
| Thursday 10 March 2022 | Friday 1 April 2022 |
| Friday 25 March 2022 | Tuesday 5 April 2022 |
| Thursday 14 April 2022 | Wednesday 27 April 2022 |
| Tuesday 10 May 2022 | Wednesday 1 June 2022 |
| Thursday 9 June 2022 | Friday 1 July 2022 |
| Friday 8 July 2022 | Monday 1 August 2022 |
| Wednesday 10 August 2022 | Thursday 1 September 2022 |
There are no updates to the register of electors during the months of October and November as the council has to carry out an annual canvass to update the register. The revised register of electors is published on 1 December each year.
Using information received from the public, Registration Officers keep two registers - the Electoral Register and the Open Register (also known as the Edited Register). For more information see Electoral registers.