Voter ID and Elections Act 2022

Find out how the Elections Act 2022 will affect you.

European Union (EU) Citizens’ voting and candidacy rights

EU citizens will no longer automatically be entitled to register to vote and stand for election.

Two groups of EU citizens will retain their rights:

  • 'Qualifying EU citizens' from countries with reciprocal agreements, and who have leave, or do not require it, to remain in the UK - currently Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, and Spain
  • 'EU citizens with retained rights' who were residents in the UK before 1 January 2021 - i.e. before the UK left the EU

These changes to EU citizens’ voting and candidacy rights take effect after the Mayor of London and London Assembly elections on 2 May 2024.