Thursday, 23 May 2024 – General election called.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has called a general election for 04 July, ending months of speculation about when the UK would go to the polls.
The latest a parliament can be dissolved for a general election is on the fifth anniversary of the day it first met, and the prime minister can call the election at a time of their choosing within the five-year period.
Friday, 24 May – Parliament is prorogued.
The Prime Minister has formally asked the King to ‘dissolve’ parliament – the official term for closing it, ahead of an election. There are usually several days between when an election is called, and when parliament is dissolved. During this time, parliament is discontinued without dissolving it. MPs will return to their constituencies until parliament is officially dissolved.
Thursday, 30 May – Parliament is dissolved.
The King has agreed to dissolve parliament on Thursday, 30 May. MPs lose their status and return to their constituencies as parliamentary candidates to campaign for re-election if they wish.
There are six constituency seats in Oxfordshire County, as follows:
- Banbury held by Victoria Prentis (Conservative)
- Henley held by John Howell (Conservative)
- Oxford East held by Anneliese Dodds (Labour)
- Oxford West and Abingdon held by Layla Moran (Liberal Democrats)
- Wantage held by David Johnston (Conservative)
- Witney and West Oxfordshire held by Robert Courts (Conservative)
But, following some boundary changes, this will become seven as follows:
- Banbury
- Bicester and Woodstock
- Didcot and Wantage
- Henley and Thame
- Oxford East
- Oxford West and Abingdon
- Witney
MPs who are government ministers still hold their posts and responsibilities. However, Government activity is restricted during the campaign period so that public money is not spent on political purposes.
Tuesday, 18 June – Deadline to register to vote.
The deadline for registering to vote in the 04 July 2024 general election is 11.59pm on Tuesday, 18 June 2024.
To be eligible to vote, you must be aged 16 or over (or 14 or over in Scotland and Wales). You must also be one of the following:
- a British citizen
- an Irish or EU citizen living in the UK
- a Commonwealth citizen who has permission to enter or stay in the UK or who does not need permission
- a citizen of another country living in Scotland or Wales who has permission to enter or stay in the UK or who does not need permission.
It usually takes about 5 minutes. You’ll be asked for your National Insurance number (but you can still register if you do not have one).
After you’ve registered, your name and address will appear on the electoral register. You only need to register once – not for every election.
However, you’ll need to register again if you’ve changed your name, address or nationality. You’ll need to register again with your new details even if you’re already registered to vote.
Visit the GOV.UK website to register to vote or contact your local Electoral Registration Office to find out if you’re already registered to vote.
Wednesday, 19 June – Deadline to apply for a postal vote
Anyone can apply for a postal vote – and you don’t need to give a reason. You can vote by post if you live in the UK or if you’re voting when abroad.
You can apply for a postal vote online using the postal vote application form on the GOV.UK website.
You’ll need to be able to upload a copy/photo of your wet ink signature, and the application can be for a single election on a specific date, for elections in a specific period or permanently (for all future elections).
The deadline to apply for a postal vote for the general election is 5.00pm on Wednesday, 19 June, and you must also be registered to vote by 11:59pm on Tuesday, 18 June.
Wednesday, 26 June – Deadline to apply for a proxy vote.
A proxy voter is a person who has been appointed to vote on behalf of another elector. The proxy will normally attend the voter’s polling station and be handed the voter’s ballot paper.
You can apply for a proxy vote by completing the proxy vote application form on the GOV.UK website – you’ll need to be able to upload a copy/photo of your wet ink signature.
The rules for voting by proxy have changed. If you applied for a proxy vote before 31 October 2023, this has expired, and you need to apply again.
The deadline to apply for a proxy vote for the general election is 5.00pm on Wednesday, 26 June, and you and your proxy must also be registered to vote by 11.59pm on Tuesday, 18 June.
Thursday, 04 July – Polling day.
Registered voters in each constituency go to the polling station to cast their votes for their preferred candidate in their local polling station. The polls open at 7.00am and close at 10.00pm, and anyone on the electoral register on polling day can vote in the general election. Some people can vote by post in advance.
It is worth mentioning that since May 2023, voters have to show a valid form of photo ID at polling stations to vote in person at a general election.
There are several forms of acceptable photo IDs, including passports, driving licences, Blue Badges, and older or disabled person’s bus passes. You will only need to show one form of photo ID, and it needs to be the original version and not a photocopy.
If you don’t have an accepted form of photo ID. You can apply for a free voter ID document known as a Voter Authority Certificate.
What happens after polling day?
The results from each constituency start to emerge throughout the night. Under a system called ‘first past the post’, the candidate who gets the most votes becomes the MP for that area. By morning, it is usually clear who the winners are.
The post General Election 2024: Key dates and what happens next appeared first on The Oxford Magazine.
from The Oxford Magazine https://ift.tt/eNi2Mlx
via IFTTT
Comments
Post a Comment