EU Citizens: Voting and candidacy rights

If you are an EU citizen you are no longer automatically entitled to register to vote, or stand for election, in local government elections and Police & Crime Commissioner elections.

This is unless you have permission to enter or stay in the UK, the Channel Islands or Isle of Man (or don't need permission), and you are a:

  • citizen of Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal or Spain 
  • citizen of another EU country, who has had permission to enter or stay (or not needed permission) since 31 December 2020, and this has continued without a break

Review of EU citizens registered to vote

The Electoral Registration Officer must check that all our registered electors who are EU citizens are still eligible to register to vote.

We will do this by reviewing historical register records.

You will then be sent a letter or email which will either:

  • confirm you are still eligible to vote, or
  • ask for more information

Letters will be sent from South Tyneside Council and emails will come from an email address ending @southtyneside.gov.uk. Please check carefully you are responding to an authorised email address.

If you are still eligible to vote

If you have received a letter from us telling you that you are still eligible to vote, you do not need to do anything further.

You remain eligible and can vote in upcoming elections (excluding UK Parliamentary elections).

If we ask for more information

If you have received a letter or email asking you to confirm your eligibility, you will need to provide information to GOV.UK: EU Voter Reply.

Details on how to respond will be included in the letter or email.

The simplest way to provide this information is online.

Alternatively, if you receive a letter, you can complete the form which is included with the letter and return it to us. Please follow the instructions provided.

If you are no longer eligible or do not provide information

If you confirm you do not meet the eligibility criteria, you will no longer be eligible to vote in local government elections and Police & Crime Commissioner elections.

You will receive a letter confirming this.

If you do not respond to the request for information about your eligibility, you are no longer eligible and you will receive confirmation of this. If you are eligible, you can re-register to vote online at www.gov.uk/registertovote.

If you've gained new citizenship or changed your nationality

If you have gained new citizenship or changed your nationality since you last registered to vote, you should let us know.  

The changes to your citizenship or nationality may affect your eligibility to vote in some elections and you might need to re-register to vote.

You can contact us by:

Alternatively, you can submit a new application to register to vote online at www.gov.uk/registertovote.