With time running out to register to vote for the General Election, here’s a guide on how to register if you live on your boat.
If you have a permanent mooring, you are treated as a resident of that address which crucially means you have a postcode and registering to vote is the same process as a house dweller.
You can register online up until 20 April (paper applications needed to be in by early March) by visiting the government website (gov.uk/register-to-vote) and enter your details (including your national insurance number) and you’ll be good to go.
However, if you live in a boat that doesn’t have a permanent mooring you can’t be counted as a resident of any particular address. In this case you need register a declaration of local connection, which, when approved, will be valid for 12 months (or until you cancel it).
To do this you need to contact your local electoral registration office details of which you can find with a quick Google search.
The ‘local connection’ should be at a place you spend the most time or where you have some connection, such as the area where you were last permanently registered or any boatyard you may use for maintenance.
Once you’ve done this, your application will be processed, you can register to vote, and come May, have your voice heard.
There’s more information in the Electoral Commission’s guidance
Thanks to CRT and Neil Phillips from Sail & Trail
