General elections will be held on July 4, 2024; what key dates should I know?
It is no longer news that the prime minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, has called for general elections to be held in the UK on July 4. The news ended months of speculation in the UK. The general election is to elect Members of Parliament - or MPs - to the House of Commons. The UK is divided into 650 constituencies, and each elects one MP to represent local residents at Westminster.
Most candidates represent a political party, but some stand as independents.
As a voter, what key dates should I know before the election?
7 June 2024: This is the deadline for the nomination of candidates who will stand for the next elections. To see the list of candidates you can vote for, check here.
18 June 2024: The deadline to register to vote in the general election is 23:59 BST on that day.
19 June 2024: This is the application deadline for a postal vote. The application should be completed by 17:00 BST on the day. The deadline to apply for the postal vote in Northern Ireland, however, is 17:00 BST on 14 June 2024.
26 June 2024: The deadline to apply for a proxy vote for the general election is 17:00 on Wednesday, 26 June.
4 July 2024: The general elections will be held on this day. Polling stations are open between 07:00 and 22:00 on election day. You must show a valid photo ID at polling stations to vote in person at a general election.
