The Case for Overseas Constituencies – by Ruvi Ziegler

Polling Station

The Elections Act 2022 received Royal Assent on 28 April 2022. Section 14, amending sections 1 and 2 of the Representation of the People Act 1985, removed the 15-year limit that had hitherto applied to electoral registration of British citizens who reside abroad. Following the commencement of the Representation of the People (Overseas Electors) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 on 16 January 2024, overseas voters were able to register to vote in July’s General Election; they did so either at the last address they were registered to vote before leaving or, for newly eligible voters, at the last address they were resident in the UK before emigrating. This post argues that the establishment of overseas constituencies in UK Parliamentary elections is a further desirable electoral reform.

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