Register to vote

Visiting us

The electoral services office at Greenford Hall is open for customers from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.

Electoral events

A wide range of electoral events take place in Ealing, from the UK Parliamentary General election, the council elections to referendums on neighbourhood planning or the governance arrangements for the council. To have your say in any of these elections you must be registered to vote - registering is not automatic and signing up to other council services, such as council tax, does not entitle you to vote.

How to register

In order to register, please go to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote and complete your registration online. Please make sure that you have your national insurance number to hand, as you will need this to complete your online registration.

Alternatively, contact the electoral services office and ask for a form to be sent to you:
Telephone: 020 8825 7777
Email: elections@ealing.gov.uk

If you do not have a national insurance number, you may still be able to register by supplying proof of identity and residence. In such cases, please contact our offices immediately and directly either by phone on 020 8825 7777 or by email elections@ealing.gov.uk

Once you have registered successfully, your registration is continuous until you move to a different address or are no longer eligible to remain registered.

Voter photo ID needed in polling stations

From 4 May 2023, voters in England will need to show photo ID to vote in person at polling stations. 

If you do not have accepted photo ID, you can apply for a free voter photo ID document, called a 'Voter Authority Certificate'.

Voter ID requirements in polling stations.

Criteria

In order to register you must meet the following three basic criteria:

  1. Citizenship
    Only residents whose nationality is either British or Irish, or who are from an EU country such as Poland or Romania can register. Citizens from qualifying Commonwealth countries such as India or Pakistan can also register but only if they have leave to remain in the UK.
    Residents who do not hold citizenship from one of these countries are not entitled to register, even if they are allowed to live in the UK
  2. Age
    Only people who are over 18 are allowed to vote in elections. 16 and 17 year olds can register but cannot vote; if you are 16 or 17 you should make sure that you are registered – this will mean that you can vote as soon as you turn 18.
  3. Residence
    You can only register at the address where you live. If you do not live at an address you cannot register there, even if you own the property or pay council tax on it.
    If you have a second home you may be able to register at both addresses provided you spend an equal amount of time living in both. Please contact the electoral services office for advice.

Students are legally entitled to register at both their term time and home addresses. They must register at one address but can choose whether to register at their second address or not.

Moved into a new address or not included on the register?

If you move into a new address in the borough, your name has not been included on the register or your personal details have changed, you can go to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote or contact the electoral services office to send you a form. When we receive your completed application form, we will add your details to the next update of the register.

The electoral register

Using information received from the public, registration officers keep two registers – the electoral register and the open register (also known as the edited register).

The electoral register is used for the conduct of elections and is available to view on an appointment basis only at Southall Library (Dominion Centre and Library), 112 The Green, Southall, Middlesex, UB2 4BQ (020 8825 6540) or by appointment between 10am-4pm at Greenford Hall, Ruislip Road, Greenford, UB6 9QN. We offer approximately 15-20 minutes to view the register as this must be done under the supervision of a staff member which is dependent on staff availability.

The open register which can be purchased, can be viewed at Southall Library and Greenford Hall.

The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote in public elections. The register is used for electoral purposes, such as making sure only eligible people can vote. It is also used for other limited purposes specified in law, such as:

  • Detecting crime (e.g. fraud)
  • Calling people for jury service
  • Checking credit applications.

The open register

The open register is an extract of the electoral register, but is not used for elections. It can be bought by any person, company or organisation. For example, it is used by businesses and charities to confirm name and address details. Your name and address will be included in the open register unless you ask for them to be removed. Removing your details from the open register does not affect your right to vote.

If you would like a list of all the organisations and individuals who are supplied with a copy of the electoral register, please email elections@ealing.gov.uk

For more information about both registers and how they may be used go to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Ealing Electoral Registration and Returning Officer Privacy Notice