2.4 Type of election

The next factor is what kind of election it is. Different elections have different rules on who is allowed to vote.

For UK Parliament elections (general elections):

• You must be 18 or over
• You must be a British, Irish, or a qualifying Commonwealth citizen.

For local elections and devolved parliaments, the rules allow more people to vote in some parts of the UK:

• In Scotland and Wales, foreign nationals (including EU citizens and others with leave to remain) can vote in local and devolved elections from age 16
• In England, only some EU citizens have the right to vote in local elections, and only from age 18
• In Northern Ireland, EU citizens can vote in all elections if they’re resident there and aged 18+

The type of election matters because it changes who can take part.