Full List: UK Names Countries Whose Citizens Can Vote in British Elections
- The Electoral Commission of the United Kingdom released updated guidance on voter eligibility across different types of British elections
- Citizens from African Commonwealth countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa may qualify to vote in UK Parliamentary elections
- The eligibility rules differ significantly depending on whether the election is a general, local, or devolved government poll
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The UK Electoral Commission has published updated guidance explaining which foreign nationals can register and vote in different elections across the country.
The rules differ depending on the type of election and where the voter lives, meaning that being legally resident in the UK does not automatically give every foreign national the right to vote in every election.
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Who can vote in UK Parliamentary elections
For UK Parliamentary elections, including general elections, the nationality requirements are more restricted.
The Electoral Commission states that British citizens, citizens of the Republic of Ireland and qualifying Commonwealth citizens meet the nationality requirement to register to vote.
This means citizens of many Commonwealth countries can potentially vote in UK Parliamentary elections if they also meet the relevant eligibility and residency requirements.
The Electoral Commission's list of Commonwealth countries includes Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Zambia and several others.
A qualifying Commonwealth citizen is generally someone who has permission to enter or remain in the UK, or does not require such permission.
Full list of Commonwealth countries
The Electoral Commission lists the following Commonwealth countries for electoral registration purposes:
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Australia
- The Bahamas
- Bangladesh
- Barbados
- Belize
- Botswana
- Brunei Darussalam
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Cyprus
- Dominica
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guyana
- India
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Malta
- Mauritius
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- St Kitts and Nevis
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- The Gambia
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- United Republic of Tanzania
- Vanuatu
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
The Electoral Commission notes that citizens of Fiji and Zimbabwe retain certain voting rights despite the two countries having been suspended from the Commonwealth.
EU citizens face different rules
The voting rights of European Union citizens depend on their nationality and the type of election.
Generally, EU citizens cannot vote in UK Parliamentary general elections.
However, citizens of Cyprus and Malta are eligible to register to vote in all UK elections because of their particular status. Irish citizens, meanwhile, can also vote in UK Parliamentary elections.
In England, qualifying EU citizens and EU citizens with retained rights can meet the nationality requirement for local government elections.
The Electoral Commission says qualifying EU citizens include citizens of Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain who meet the relevant residence and immigration conditions.
Citizens of other EU countries may also qualify where they were legally resident in the UK on or before 31 December 2020 and have continued to meet the relevant conditions.
Rules for local and Senedd elections in Wales
The rules are broader for local government and Senedd elections in Wales.
British citizens, EU citizens and qualifying Commonwealth citizens meet the nationality requirement for these elections.
Qualifying foreign citizens living in Wales can also be registered for local government and Senedd elections, provided they meet the relevant requirements.
The voting age also differs across the UK. In Wales, people can vote in Senedd and local government elections from the age of 16, while registration can begin at 14.
Scotland also allows qualifying foreign nationals to vote
In Scotland, qualifying foreign nationals living in the country can vote in Scottish Parliament and council elections.
The Electoral Commission defines a qualifying foreign national as a citizen of another country who has permission to enter or remain in the UK, or who does not require such permission.
However, these foreign nationals cannot vote in UK Parliamentary elections solely on the basis of being qualifying foreign nationals.
Police and Crime Commissioner elections
The nationality rules for Police and Crime Commissioner elections are also broader than those for UK Parliamentary elections.
The Electoral Commission says British citizens, qualifying Commonwealth citizens, qualifying EU citizens and EU citizens with retained rights can meet the nationality requirement for these elections.
The local government franchise is also used as the basis for Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales.
What this means for Ghanaians
Ghana is among the Commonwealth countries listed by the Electoral Commission.
A Ghanaian citizen living in the UK may therefore meet the nationality requirement for UK Parliamentary elections as a qualifying Commonwealth citizen, provided the person also satisfies the other requirements for registration and voting.
The same Commonwealth status can also be relevant when determining eligibility for local government and other elections covered by the broader franchise.
The Electoral Commission stresses that voting eligibility depends not only on nationality but also on factors including age, where a person lives and their immigration or residence status.
Anyone planning to register should therefore check the rules that apply to the specific election and their individual circumstances.
UK lists category eligible for British citizenship
In a related development, YEN.com.gh reported that the UK government had published official guidance on how stateless individuals could register as British citizens.
Adults aged 18 and over faced a total cost of £1,670, while applicants under 18 paid a reduced fee of £1,000.
Children who could not afford the registration fee could be eligible to apply for a fee waiver before submitting their applications.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
