Elections

This landing page features Commons Library briefings on international elections .

Belarus held a presidential election on Sunday 9 August 2020. In the weeks leading up to the election there were large rallies against the incumbent president. In the weeks since the election took place, protests have continued amid allegations of widespread vote-rigging as President Lukashenko secured a sixth term in office.

This House of Commons Briefing Paper analyses the debate over the voting rights of prisoners since May 2015, it also includes a concise summary of the main developments before May 2015.

This paper sets out who can vote in UK elections. It provides information on the UK Parliamentary franchise and the different local government franchises in different parts of the UK.

Parliamentary constituency boundaries are reviewed periodically by independent Boundary Commissions. This House of Commons Library briefing summarises the current rules and procedures for boundary changes and how they have changed over time. It also gives an overview how the number of MPs has reached the current number.

The Armed Forces can register to vote as ordinary electors, as overseas voters, or as service voters. There has been concern about the under-registration of the Armed Forces, especially those serving overseas, and the difficulties they face in participating in the electoral process more generally.The Note also gives a brief history of how the system of voting by members of the Armed Forces has changed, particularly during the periods directly after each World War.

The Parliamentary Constituencies Bill 2019-21

This table lists the number of seats in the House of Commons from 1707 to present day.

Search the results of the 2019 General Election for each constituency using the interactive dashboard

Constituency-level data on electorates in the UK, including data for both the parliamentary and the local government franchise

British citizens living overseas are currently entitled to be registered to vote in UK Parliamentary elections for up to 15 years in the constituency they were registered in before leaving the UK. The Government has committed to end the 15-year limit and introduce 'votes for life'. This Briefing Paper provides details of the provisions relating to overseas voters in the Representation of the People Act 1985 and the proposals for change. It also summarises earlier attempts to change the 15 year rule.

This note contains basic details of the structure of local government (counties, districts and unitary authorities); the electoral system, ward structures, and the franchise; the divisions of functions between local authorities; and the process for changing local government boundaries and structures.

Under current legislation, a person must be 18 or over to vote in elections to the UK Parliament. This Note gives details of calls for a change in the law to reduce the voting age to 16 in recent years.