European Parliamentary elections are due to take place in the UK on Thursday 23 May 2019. Make sure you plan ahead and know the deadlines so you don't lose your vote.
These elections are held every five years in all the European Union states. The UK is represented by 73 MEPs. In Brighton & Hove you will be voting for the 10 MEPs who represent the South East region at European Parliament.
Register to vote by Tuesday 7 May
To vote in the European parliamentary elections you must be:
- aged 18 or over on 23 May
- a British citizen, a qualifying Commonwealth citizen, or a citizen of the European Union
- resident in the UK
- registered to vote
If you are not already registered to vote, you can register online on GOV.UK. Follow the prompts to give your name, address, date of birth and a few other details. You will need your National Insurance Number which can be found on your payslip or letters about benefits or tax.
EU citizens living in Brighton & Hove need to complete an extra form
If you’re a citizen of a European Union country (other than the UK, Republic of Ireland, Malta and Cyprus), you can choose to either vote in the UK or in your home country. You can’t vote twice.
To vote in the UK, you need to:
- be registered to vote
- complete a form stating you wish to vote in the UK and not in your home country
Forms have been sent to all currently registered EU citizens that live in the city. You must complete and return these forms in the prepaid envelope or by email by 7 May 2019.
Alternatively, you can download the 'EU citizens – European Parliament voter registration form' from the Electoral Commission's website.
Plan ahead if you won't be able to get to your polling station
If you know that you will be unable to get to your polling station on 23 May, you will need to apply for a postal or proxy vote in advance. Find out more about postal and proxy votes.
Apply for a postal vote by Wednesday 8 May
To apply to vote by post you need to download, complete, print and sign a form, then and send it back to our Elections team by Wednesday 8 May.
Apply for a proxy vote by Wednesday 15 May
If you aren't able to cast your vote in person, you can apply for a proxy vote to have someone you trust cast your vote for you. You will need to complete a form and return it to our Elections team at Hove Town Hall by Wednesday 15 May.
Don't forget - local elections are also taking place in May
Local elections are also taking place in Brighton & Hove on Thursday 2 May. If you are registered to vote in the local elections you will already be registered for European elections, unless you have moved house.
The criteria for voting in these elections is different. Overseas voters cannot vote in the local elections. Double check on the Your Vote Matters website if you are not sure which elections you can vote in.
European Parliament elections - key dates
- Thursday 25 April: Candidates listed
- Tuesday 7 May: Last day to register to vote and for us to receive forms from EU citizens
- Wednesday 8 May (5pm): Last day for us to receive your postal vote application
- Wednesday 15 May (5pm): Last day for us to receive your proxy vote application
- Thursday 23 May: Polls are open from 7am until 10pm
- Sunday 26 May: Election count and results published
Find out more
For more information about the European Parliamentary elections including how to register to vote, applying for a postal or proxy vote, please go to the elections pages on our website.
