Election type

Overseas voters, Standard Note:SN/PC/05923

www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/SN05923.pdf

Overseas voters areable to vote in the referendum on the voting system on 5 May 2011; thefranchise for the referendum is the UK Parliamentary franchise and peers. TheElectoral Commission issued a press release on 2 March 2011 to remind Britishcitizens living overseas that the deadline to register to vote is 14 April2011:

On Thursday 5 May,many British citizens living abroad will have the opportunity to vote in thefirst UK-wide referendum in 35 years. But they need to act now, says theElectoral Commission, the independent UK elections watchdog.

Electoral CommissionHead of Campaigns, Clinton Proud says: “The referendum gives voters the chanceto have their say on how MPs are elected to the House of Commons. In order tovote, you will need to be on the electoral register. We know that many of the5.5million British citizens living abroad are eligible to vote, but are notregistered.

“Distance doesn’tmean you can’t make your voice heard. You can apply to vote by post or byproxy, and the forms to do this, and to register to vote, are all available onour website: www.aboutmyvote.co.uk. The deadline to register is Thursday 14April - so now is the time to act.”

The ElectoralCommission is responsible for the conduct of the referendum on 5 May, and hasinstructed Counting Officers in Britainto send out ballot papers to voters overseas as early as possible after 14April.

The Commission added that postal ballot papers will be sent to overseasvoters by Royal Mail after 14 April and that overseas voters needed to returnthese by post in time for them to reach the relevant local returning officer by10pm on Thursday 5 May. The Commission suggested that overseas voters shouldconsider if this timetable was realistic for them, or whether they should applyto vote using a proxy instead.

(link of the press release: http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/news-and-media/news-releases/electoral-commission-media-centre/news-releases-campaigns/no-need-to-rush-back-to-britain-to-make-you-voice-heard!)

Referendum on the voting system for UK parliamentaryelections Report on the May 2011 referendum, page 22

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0019/141328/Final-PVS-report.pdf

2.1 While the UK has a broadlegal framework for referendums, individual referendums cannot take place unlessspecific legislation is passed by Parliament. Secondary legislation may also beneeded to provide for the detailed arrangements and funding for referendums.

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act2011

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2011/1/pdfs/ukpga_20110001_en.pdf

SCHEDULE 3 Section 3

ABSENT VOTING IN THEREFERENDUM

Manner of voting inthe referendum

2 (1) This paragraphapplies to determine the manner of voting in Englandand Wales or Scotland of aperson entitled to vote in the referendum.

(2) The person mayvote in person at the polling station allotted to him or her under thereferendum rules, unless the person is entitled to vote by post or by proxy inthe referendum.

(3) The person mayvote by post if the person is entitled to vote by post in the referendum.

(4) If the person isentitled to vote by proxy in the referendum, the person may so vote unless,before a ballot paper has been issued for the person to vote by proxy, theperson applies at the polling station allotted to him or her under thereferendum rules for a ballot paper for the purpose of voting in person, inwhich case he or she may vote in person there.