Register to vote

If you do not have access to the internet, phone us on 0191 427 7000. We can complete your application over the phone.

Information about how we handle your personal data is available in the Council's Privacy Notice - Electoral Services.

Register online

• Go to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
• Fill in your name, address, date of birth and a few other details. You'll also need your national insurance number, which can be found on your national insurance card, or in official paperwork such as payslips, or letters about benefits or tax credits.
• Look out for a confirmation to say you're registered.

You can register to vote in the UK if you are:

• a resident (usually live) in the UK, and
• aged 16 or over (but you will not be able to vote until you are 18)

You must also be either:

• a British, Irish or European Union citizen, or
• a Commonwealth citizen who has leave to remain in the UK or who does not require leave to remain in the UK

To be able to vote in elections, you must be registered.

If you aren't registered to vote, you won't have the chance to have a say on who represents you.

Some people also register to vote because they want to apply for credit. Credit reference agencies use the Electoral Register to confirm where someone lives when they apply for credit to counteract fraud.

If you don't register to vote, you won't have a say at future elections and referendums. If you don't respond to requests for information from the Electoral Registration Office you could be at risk of getting fined £80.

Young voters

Your future, your vote, your choice

Your vote can:

• Give young people fantastic apprenticeship and job opportunities
• Help to develop culture and the arts
• Give your grandparents independence
• Provide the community with local outdoor education and leisure facilities
• Provide healthcare for your whole family
• Help to develop your talents
• Give you a chance to shape South Tyneside
• Help to support local fostering families
• Keep you safe at night

Myths about voting and registering to vote

Below are some popular myths about voting and registering to vote:

Myth 1: I pay council tax, so I'm registered to vote

Reality: Council tax records and the electoral register contain different information. Council tax records hold the name of the bill payer, but not necessarily all the people who live at the property. For this and other legal reasons, the electoral registration officer is not allowed to take names from council tax and add them to the electoral register.

Myth 2: Credit scores won't be affected if I'm not on the register

Reality:  The electoral register is often used for credit referencing purposes to counteract fraud. If you are not registered you may be refused credit, or have problems opening a bank account or taking out a mobile phone contract.  The main credit reference agencies receive information from us each December, and monthly updates between January and September, but it can take them a few weeks to update their records after each update.  If you are registered and are still having problems you should contact one of the agencies to get a copy of your credit file, so that you can check the details they have for you.

Myth 3: My personal details will be sold to other organisations

Reality: There are two versions of the register - the electoral register and the open register. The electoral register is used only for electoral purposes, calling people for jury service, preventing and detecting crime and checking applications for credit. The open register is available for general sale and can be used for commercial activities such as direct marketing. Your name and address will appear on the electoral register but you have the choice to opt-out of the open register.

Myth 4: I'm only 17 so I don't need to register yet

Reality: If you are 16 or 17 years old and will be 18 within the life of the electoral register you should be registered.  If an election is called and you are not 18 at that time, then you will not qualify to vote.  If an election is called and you are 18, then you will be able to vote.  Each voter is now responsible for their own registration.

If you are not registered to vote, you can register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Myth 5: You have to register to vote again if there is a national election or referendum

Reality: Once you are registered you will be able to vote at all elections you are eligible for.  Your registration lasts for as long as you live at the address you are registered at. If you move home you need to apply to register at your new address.

Myth 6: You can't use a pen to mark your ballot paper in a polling station

Reality: There is no legal requirement to mark the ballot papers with a pencil.  Pencils are provided inside polling booths, however pens are available from the Presiding Officer or voters can choose to use their own pen. Pencils are used for practical reasons: with ink pens there is a risk that they may dry out or spill; the ink from the mark the voter has made may transfer when they fold it, leading to their vote being rejected if, for example, it looks like they have voted for more candidates than they are entitled to.

Myth 7: You can't vote if you haven't got your poll card

Reality: You get a poll card for information; you do not need to take it with you to vote.  As long as your name is on the register being used in the polling station, and you have not applied to vote by post, you will get a ballot paper in the polling station.  At present there is no requirement for voters to show identification at the polling station.

To check if you are already registered, you can contact the Elections Office: 

The Elections Office
Town Hall and Civic Offices
Westoe Road
South Shields
Tyne and Wear
NE33 2RL

Phone: 0191 424 7230
Email: elections@southtyneside.gov.uk

The following table gives the dates when you will be included on the register of electors depending when we receive your application.

There are no updates to the register of electors during the months of October and November as the council has to carry out an annual canvass to update the register.  The revised register of electors is published on 1 December each year.

Using information received from the public, Registration Officers keep two registers - the Electoral Register and the Open Register (also known as the Edited Register). For more information see Electoral registers.