Any UK citizen who is living abroad is entitled to vote for a period of 15 years after the date they were last registered in the UK.  If you have never been registered as an elector in the UK, you will not be eligible to register as an overseas elector.  However, if you left the UK before you were 18 years of age you can register at your parents or guardians UK address, providing that you left the country not more than 15 years ago.  Registration as an Overseas Elector will only last for twelve months so an application must be made annually.

Overseas Electors may either appoint a person to vote on their behalf at the polling station (a proxy), or choose to vote themselves by post.  If a postal vote is chosen, the applicant should take into account the length of time taken for post to travel in either direction to and from an overseas address, as the Representation of the People Regulations 2001 (regulation 71(1)) stipulate that the postal ballot papers cannot be issued earlier than 5.00pm on the eleventh working day before Polling Day.

If you would like to apply to register as an Overseas Elector, please download an Overseas Voter application form, complete it, sign it and return it to the Electoral Services Office.

You can return the form in one of the following ways:-

By post:           Electoral Services Office                           South Hams District Council                           Follaton House                           Plymouth Road                           Totnes                           TQ9 5NE By fax:              01803 866151 By E-mail:        elections@southhams.gov.uk