RetireJapan

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/ ... ts-voting/

Even if you've lived outside the UK for more than fifteen years.

Roger Van Zant wrote: ↑Thu Feb 29, 2024 1:02 pm https://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/ ... ts-voting/

Even if you've lived outside the UK for more than fifteen years.

We had a thread about this when it was announced in January. Several board members have already applied for and been registered to vote (including me)

I've theoretically always been able to vote in UK elections since leaving London in 2014. Every year or so since then Lewisham council have emailed me to update me on their electoral register, and ballot papers have been sent to my Japanese address.

However... they don't often arrive in time. My Brexit ballot vote slip literally arived the day before the vote. Factor in travel from my southern prefecture to Tokyo, then Tokyo to London there was literally no time for my ballot to have made it in time, even had I bought the most expensive air tickets and tried to deliver it by hand...

I hope this new allowance allows for the intercontinental delays... Or even better online voting.

Regrettably, I never updated my voting address from my London rental address to my parents'/sister's address before leaving the UK, meaning proxy voting would be (have been?) possible...

If only there had been a "UK citizens heading for retirement in Japan" forum back then...

Seasider4374 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 11, 2024 12:39 pm
Regrettably, I never updated my voting address from my London rental address to my parents'/sister's address before leaving the UK, meaning proxy voting would be (have been?) possible...

Postal proxy is possible.

So for general elections you could have a proxy who is registered to vote but not in your constituency; he/she then casts the proxy vote by post.

My constituency is Edinburgh North and Leith. The ballot (sent by Edinburgh Council) has usually arrived with about 2 weeks to spare. Sending it back via recorded delivery showed it arriving in time. But then, my vote wasn't really likely to move the needle. It might be interesting this time though, as it's an SNP seat.

adamu wrote: ↑Mon Mar 11, 2024 1:53 pm My constituency is Edinburgh North and Leith. The ballot (sent by Edinburgh Council) has usually arrived with about 2 weeks to spare. Sending it back via recorded delivery showed it arriving in time. But then, my vote wasn't really likely to move the needle. It might be interesting this time though, as it's an SNP seat.

That was my constituency for 14 years. Think it will be very much in play this time. Labour came pretty close to winning it in 2017 I recall.