Elections you can vote in

Check which elections you can vote in based on your nationality, age and where you live in London.

Who can vote in which elections

Your nationality determines which elections you can vote in.

British, Irish and qualifying Commonwealth citizens

If you are at least 18 and live in London, you can vote in:

  • UK parliamentary (general) elections
  • Mayor of London and London Assembly elections
  • London borough council elections
  • referendums

Qualifying EU citizens

If you are at least 18 and live in London, you can vote in:

  • Mayor of London and London Assembly elections
  • London borough council elections

You are a qualifying EU citizen if you are from Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal or Spain and have permission to enter or stay in the UK.
 

EU citizens with retained voting rights

If you are at least 18 and live in London, you can vote in:

  • Mayor of London and London Assembly elections
  • London borough council elections

You have retained voting rights if you are an EU citizen who:

  • was living in the UK on or before 31 December 2020
  • has maintained continuous residency
     

Age requirements

You can:

  • register to vote when you're 16 years old
  • vote when you're 18 years old

If you live overseas

If you're a British or eligible Irish citizen living overseas, you can vote in UK parliamentary elections if you

  • were previously registered to vote in London
  • have registered as an overseas voter in the last 3 years

You can vote in person if you will be in London on the day of the election, or apply to vote by post or vote by proxy. 


You cannot vote in local elections or Mayor of London and London Assembly elections when living overseas.

Read more about voting when you live overseas

Mayor of London voting system

The Elections Act (2022) changed how we vote for the Mayor of London. You now:

  • use first-past-the-post voting
  • mark one X in the box next to your preferred candidate
  • do not get a second preference vote

The voting system for London Assembly elections has not changed.

Check your eligibility to vote