Can Channel Islanders vote in the UK election?

London: On 4 July, an estimated 50 million people are expected to head to polling stations as the UK holds its general election.

Living in the Channel Islands does not give residents a right to vote, as the islands do not send MPs to Westminster.

But residents who previously lived in the UK, which makes up about a third of the islands’ population, can still make their voices heard.

Changes to electoral laws mean even those who have not lived in the UK for more than 15 years – the previous limit – can cast their ballot.

In a general election, the public will vote for their Member of Parliament (MP) in their local constituency.

There are 650 constituencies across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and each one elects an MP each to represent them in Westminster.

The majority of candidates will represent a political party, but some will stand as an independent.

To vote in July’s election you must be on the UK’s electoral register and be over the age of 18 on polling day.

To get on the roll, you will need to register by 23:59 BST on Tuesday 18 June.

British Citizens and qualifying Commonwealth and Irish citizens with a UK address can vote.

For those in the Channel Islands it is likely you do not have an address in the country.

Instead you will need to register as an overseas voter in the last constituency you lived before leaving the UK.

There are a number of ways those not in the UK can cast their ballot on polling day.

Once you have registered, you can apply for a postal vote – the application deadline is 17:00 on Wednesday 19 June.

Your ballot paper must reach the elections team by 22:00 on election day to be counted, so it is recommended you post with plenty of time.

You can also get someone you trust to vote on your behalf, which is called proxy voting.

This also needs to be applied for by 17:00 on Wednesday 26 June.

Rules surrounding proxy voting have changed, which means if you applied to use a proxy before 31 October 2023 you will need to reapply.

If your casting your vote in an Northern Ireland constituency, the deadline for postal and proxy voting is 17:00 on Friday 14 June.

If you happen to be in the constituency you have registered in on polling day, you can of course vote in person.

Rules introduced in May 2023 mean you will need to bring photo ID to vote in person.

There are 22 accepted IDs, which include Guernsey and Jersey driving licences.