With the general election fast approaching, Christians have many opportunities to influence the next five years of political life.
Here’s what you need to know to vote, stand as a candidate and host a hustings.
How to Vote
Register to vote
First, you need to ensure that you are registered to vote.
If you have changed your name, address or nationality, or are voting for the first time, you can register online.
You will need to know your National Insurance number to register.
The deadline for registering for the 2024 election is 18 June.
Vote in person
Most people will vote in person at their local polling station. You will be sent a polling card which will give you the location of your polling station. Polling stations are open from 7am to 10pm.
You will need take photo ID to confirm your identity to vote. If you do not currently have photo ID (e.g. a passport or driving licence), you can apply for free photo ID online until 5pm on 26 June 2024.
Vote by post
If you are unable to vote in person, you can apply online or by post for a postal vote. The deadline for applications is 5pm on 19 June 2024.
It is also possible to apply for a proxy vote, where someone else votes on your behalf. You can apply online or by post until 5pm on 26 June 2024. In an emergency (e.g. if you are unexpectedly hospitalised), you can apply for a proxy vote until 5pm on the day of the election.
How to stand as a candidate
Nearly anyone who is eligible to vote is also able to stand in the election. Members of certain groups, including the police, the armed forces and the civil services are not allowed to stand.
The deadline for submitting a nomination to stand is 4pm on Friday 7 June 2024.
You will need to submit a nomination form which can be downloaded.
You will need the signatures of 10 registered electors from your constituency to assent to your nomination. There is also a £500 deposit which must be paid.
More details about how to stand as a candidate are available here.
Vote Life is asking for volunteers to stand as independent candidates for life as a way of highlighting the issue of abortion. Find out more on the Vote Life website.
How to find out who is standing in your constituency
After 7 June 2024, you will be able to find out who is standing in your constituency by entering your postcode on the Electoral Commission’s website.
How to host a hustings event
Churches are ideally placed to host hustings events where people can gather and ask questions of the candidates. Events like these need some planning and organisation but are a good way to show the candidates how engaged Christians are in the election.
The Joint Public Issues Team has published a helpful guide to hosting a hustings event.
The Evangelical Alliance has also published a guide to hosting a hustings event.
The Electoral Commission has published good practice recommendations for non-selective hustings.
Questions for the candidates can be asked from the audience or through the chair. Some hustings events require questions to be submitted in advance so that they can be filtered and asked by the chair. Another alternative is for questions to be submitted through an online platform such as Slido.
Some questions you may like to pose to candidates could include:
- Do you agree that this nation is a Christian nation shaped by Christian values?
- How have you personally been influenced by Christian faith and values?
- Would you vote to get rid of unsafe pills-by-post abortions?
- Would you oppose legalising assisted suicide?
- Would you oppose criminalising consensual conversations even if they are described as ‘conversion therapy’?
- Do you agree that ‘sex’ should be defined biologically in law?
- Do you agree that children should not be allowed to transition gender?
- Do you agree that Christians should not risk losing their jobs for expressing their Christian beliefs in the workplace?