Elections
Find out how elections are run, how to register to vote and where to find election results, how constituency boundaries are decided and reviewed, and how to become an election observer.
The electoral register
You can register to vote online - you will need your National Insurance number.
In Northern Ireland you can check to see if you are registered to vote using the Electoral Office Am I Registered Service
The electoral register (sometimes called the 'electoral roll') is a list of the names and addresses of everyone in Northern Ireland who is registered to vote.
By law, your name and address will automatically appear on the full electoral register, but you can choose to have your name omitted from the published or edited electoral register by ticking a box on the registration form.
Register to vote
You must be at least 17 years old by the next 30 November to register to vote and you must either:
- be a UK or Irish citizen
- be legally able to live in the United Kingdom and be a Commonwealth citizen
- be legally able to live in the United Kingdom and be a citizen of Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal or Spain
- be legally able to live in the United Kingdom and have been able to since 31 December 2020 and be a citizen of another EU country
Elections in Northern Ireland
Voters in Northern Ireland can vote in three elections. They are:
- the UK Parliamentary elections
- the Northern Ireland Assembly elections
- the Local Government elections
UK Parliamentary elections
In a general election, every area in the UK votes for one Member of Parliament (MP) to represent them in the House of Commons at Westminster.
There are 650 geographical areas, called constituencies. Northern Ireland has 18 of these Westminster constituencies, each with one MP.
The last UK Parliamentary election was held on 4 July 2024
Northern Ireland Assembly elections
Elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly normally take place every five years.
Each of the 18 Northern Ireland constituencies elects five Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) giving a total of 90 MLAs.
The last Northern Ireland Assembly election was held on 5 May 2022.
Local government elections
Elections to local government, commonly called local councils, take place every four years.
The last local government elections were held on Thursday 18 May 2023.
The number of councillors varies from council to council depending largely on the size of the council area.
Voting systems
Proportional Representation is an electoral system designed to more accurately represent the opinions of the voters.
The Proportional Representation system used in Northern Ireland is called the Single Transferable Vote (STV).
Every voter has one vote and they number candidates in order of preference 1,2,3 and so on. This system is used at Local Council and Assembly elections.
At elections to the Westminster Parliament the traditional First Past-the-Post system is used. This means you simply put a single 'X' in the box beside the one candidate you support.
Voting at elections
There are rules on which nationalities can vote in Northern Ireland at each election but you must be aged 18 or over on polling day.
You can vote in person, at a polling station, by post or by appointing someone to vote for you (a proxy).
You can vote in person at a local polling station, usually a nearby school or hall.
You'll get a poll card before the election, telling you where and when to vote.
Polling stations are open from 7.00 am to 10.00 pm on the day of an election.
When voting at a polling station in Northern Ireland you have to present acceptable photographic identification. The identity document does not need to be current.
The poll card will tell you the types of photographic identification that will be accepted or you can check the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland (EONI) website.
When you go to vote, the staff will check your name and address and photographic ID and give you a ballot paper.
Read the ballot paper carefully. It will list the parties and candidates you can vote for, and tell you how to cast your vote.
The voting takes place in a screened booth. When you've marked your vote, fold the ballot paper in half and put it in the ballot b Do not write anything else on the ballot paper or your vote may not count. If you're not sure what to do, ask the staff to help you.ox.
If you have a valid reason you can apply to vote by post or by proxy. Find out more about voting by post or proxy on the Election Office for Northern Ireland website:
Election results
The results for elections held in Northern Ireland are published on the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland (EONI) website.
You can also find the latest election coverage on news websites, radio and social media.
The Chief Electoral Officer
The Chief Electoral Officer administers elections and makes the electoral register in Northern Ireland.
The role is independent of government and is helped by the staff of the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland.
The Electoral Commission
The Electoral Commission is an independent body that works to make sure elections, referendums and electoral registration are well run in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.
It also makes sure people understand the rules around money for political parties and that it is being used properly.
Constituencies and boundaries
The Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland reviews the parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland.
It also makes recommendations to the Secretary of State for changes to the constituency boundaries.
Standing for election
During election periods the Electoral Office publishes information for people interested in standing as a candidate in different types of elections.