UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 17 APRIL 2015
Students are being urged to register to vote before the deadline of Monday 20 April. If you don’t register, you can’t vote in the forthcoming General Election on May 7.
Students are no longer automatically registered to vote. Changes to the system mean that every student has to register individually.
If you think it’s a bit of a pain, it doesn’t take long. All you need is your national insurance number to hand, and go to the register to vote website.
Students are allowed to register at their home address and their university or college address. But crucially, you can only vote once in general elections and European elections. For local elections, you can vote for a local councillor in your home town, and again in your university town.
This is not the case for the general election. Remember, one vote only. It is an offence to vote twice in the same election.
Three students from the School of Media have recently showcased a documentary they made - “The Student Vote” - at a Pizza and Politics event. Read more in our blog.
International students
Electoral registration is linked to citizenship. International students and those with dual nationality should find out if they are eligible to vote.
Remember, it is a criminal offence to vote twice in a UK general election. Even if you are registered in two areas – at home and at university – you can only vote in one at a general election.
Debate time
The University is hosting an Election Debate as part of the City Talks programme on Thursday April 23 featuring former Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell, shadow minister Liam Byrne and a spokesperson from the Green Party.
Baroness Lindsay Northover, Undersecretary of State for International Development, will represent the Liberal Democrats, with Keith Rowe, Ukip candidate for Birmingham Northfield, completing the line-up. Gareth Owen, election correspondent for Central News, will chair the event.
The debate is free of charge and open to both students and the public. It takes place in the Parkside Lecture Theatre, B4 7AP.