EU Referendum – voting on the road
While we’ve been relaxing in Croatian campsites and the weather hasn’t been great, we’ve been getting some admin stuff done.
One of the top things on my list was to make sure we could both vote in the upcoming EU Referendum on 23 June. So this doesn’t turn this into a political piece I won’t say which way I am voting, only what we have done to ensure that we can vote while we are on the road.
When we left the UK the dates for the referendum hadn’t even been announced. Normally we do postal voting when we are at home, that way we don’t have to remember to go on the day. This time we won’t be there to fill in our postal forms, putting various coloured bits of paper into various envelopes, sometimes I think there is a hidden intelligence test in the postal voting system, so we’ve been in touch with our local electoral registration office and cancelled our postal votes for the referendum.
Because we’re abroad, and don’t live abroad at a fixed address (which is a different set of forms) we need to arrange for someone to vote for us by proxy. That means they get to fill out the ballot papers on our behalf, so we need to pick someone we trust to vote as we want!
To arrange for someone to vote by proxy on our behalf we’ve had to download the form below, get it printed, filled in, signed and sent to our local electoral registration office. However, just doing this means that the person voting will need to go to our local polling station to fill out our ballots.
[gview file=”https://ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/FORMS-Particular-Election-Proxy-MAY16.pdf”]
I’ve asked my Dad to be my proxy, but as he lives on the other side of Nottinghamshire he won’t want to drive to my home polling station to vote, so instead he will do his proxy vote by post. To do this an additional form needs to completed by him and sent off along with the proxy request from I have filled in.
[gview file=”https://ourtourmedia.s3.eu-central-003.backblazeb2.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Postal-Proxy-application.pdf”]
So today I got both sets of forms printed off (to make it easier for my Dad) and have filled in my parts. I have just posted them both to my Dad – Jay is sorting out his with his parents. Once they arrive my Dad will have to fill in his parts on the postal vote request from, then post them both to my local electoral registration office to arrive before 8 June.
When it is time to vote in the referendum, my Dad will receive a set of postal voting papers to complete on my behalf, and I know he’ll pass the coloured paper/envelopes test! It’s a bit of a faff to be honest, but as this is such an important vote for our future it’s a faff I am happy to do.
If you are on the road, want to vote and don’t already have a proxy in place, act now as the post from overseas can be notoriously slow and paperwork has to be in well before the election. There is loads more information on this government website, and you can also find out the address for your local electoral registration office here too.
It’s going to be an interesting month or so ahead for those of you back at home. We’ll miss all the propaganda put out from the two sides, but might try and get the telly honed into a satellite on election night.
Ju x
Just a thought: Wouldn’t it be funny if you were both secretly planning to vote in different ways, thus going to all that fuss only to cancel each other’s vote out?
Clive
Every vote counts and I am glad you found a way to cast yours. It is great to know that even you are traveling you can still vote.
It will be very interesting to see the turn out in the UK. Just wondering how many people understand what it’s all about. I like expect many other millions here don’t have a clue which way is right.
Still it’s great to know you are voting during your travels.
That’s a good ‘heads-up’ post for those not in the Uk at the moment, thanks. I agree, it could be a vital turning point for the UK. Also guys, I’m willing to bet my MoHo (home) on the way you will both vote… and I am with you 100%! Kindest, Wayne.
Not much propaganda floating about. It has been relatively quiet on the UK TV news about this up to now. But today we have votes in Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland for new governments, English council elections, 2 Westminster by-elections in Wales, Policing boards elections and London Mayor! Why is May such a popular month for elections? Much of this has taken the focus off the referendum. Coincidence?
The EU In/Out vote, what a wonderfully razzle dazzle all dancing girls and flashing lights topic! Yes, having ‘motorhomed’ full time around the EU for two years (2012-14) I have come to realize that there is no place like Blighty. The EU needs the UK desperately, have they done enough to keep us in? Have they? Of course I’m not saying which way I’m voting ..
I already have the English sparkling wine in the fridge.