Campaigners call for ‘fair deal’ on overseas voting in France

Campaigners are urging Britons living abroad to contact their MPs in support of proposals aimed at strengthening overseas voting rights. 

The Representation of the People Bill is currently progressing through Parliament.

While the legislation includes measures such as extending the vote to 16 and 17-year-olds, campaigners say its provisions to improve postal voting for overseas electors are limited.

An amendment tabled by Liberal Democrat MP Freddie van Mierlo seeks to go further.

The amendment would require the government to examine the feasibility of a range of measures to make overseas voting easier.

These include allowing voting at British embassies and consulates, sending ballot papers digitally for voters to print and return, introducing phone or secure electronic voting, and dispatching ballots to overseas voters earlier. 

In a statement sent to The Connexion, Mr van Mierlo said the recent King’s Speech setting out the government's legislative agenda for the coming parliamentary session, was “disappointing” and showed ministers merely “tinkering around the edges”.

His amendment, backed by groups including Unlock Democracy and New Europeans UK, aims to secure a “fairer deal for British citizens voting from abroad”, he said.

As drafted, the bill only proposes earlier deadlines for candidate nominations and postal vote applications, as well as “clarifying key processes to returning officers, to reduce risk and improve delivery”, according to King’s Speech documents.

You can find UK MPs at here. Amendment NC19 is on page 13 of the bill amendment and is also available at the parliamentary bills site.

Since 2024, after years of campaigning as well as unfulfilled promises by successive prime ministers, the UK's former ‘15-year rule’, which removed voting rights from many Britons abroad after 15 years overseas, has been abolished.

Overseas voters registered have since increased but voter turnout is still low compared to residents in the UK.

Under current rules, adult Britons abroad who have lived in the UK may register to vote in UK parliamentary elections and in referendums (where their rules are linked to the parliamentary franchise, as for the Brexit vote).

However, problems receiving postal ballots in time have dogged recent elections. 

Proxy voting is another option, but not everyone is able to find a trusted proxy who can physically vote on their behalf in their former UK constituency.