The Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 extends the franchise to include qualifying foreign citizens for Senedd elections1
and the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 extends the franchise to qualifying foreign citizens for local government elections.2
The entry in the combined registers of a qualifying foreign citizen must give an indication of that fact.3
Electors of any nationality are eligible to register to vote in Senedd elections and local government elections, providing they meet the age and residency requirements and that they are not legally incapable of voting.
A qualifying foreign citizen is a person who is not;
a Commonwealth citizen, or
a citizen of the Republic of Ireland
and who has or does not require permission to stay or is treated as having permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man.4
Subject to meeting the age, residency and legal capacity requirements, citizens from the Republic of Ireland and the Commonwealth are eligible to register to vote in UK Parliamentary elections.
Franchise for Police and Crime Commissioner elections
The Representation of the People (Franchise Amendment and Eligibility Review) Regulations 2023 updated the franchise for Police and Crime Commissioner elections.
This means that to be eligible to register to vote in Police and Crime Commissioner elections, an EU citizen is required to be: