European elections 2019 – is registration closed and how do you vote?
THE European elections will be held on May 23 when Britain goes to the polls to choose its new members of the European parliament (MEP).
Theresa May negotiated with Brussels to extend Brexit until October 31 on the condition that the UK takes part in the vote. But is it to late to register and how do you vote?
How do I register to vote in the European Elections?
Unfortunately if you haven't yet registered to vote in the European Elections, you've missed your chance.
Registration for British citizens closed at 11.59pm on May 7.
You may still be registered from the last election or referendum; you don't need to do so again for every vote.
If you've changed address, name or nationality you must register again.
You may need your National Insurance number or passport to hand.
Public servants posted overseas can also register to vote online using a different link; going for crown servants, for British Council employees and for the armed forces.
If you're an EU citizen in the UK you need to
If you're not sure if you're registered you can contact your local registration office as they hold the electoral register for your area.
How do I vote?
The traditional way to place your vote is going to a polling station and marking a cross on your ballot paper.
You can find out where your closest station is by going on the Electoral Commission website or looking at the back of your polling card.
Some people opt to vote by proxy, which means choosing someone else to vote on your behalf.
You can also ask for a postal vote.
Will the European Elections affect the UK?
Every five years, European Union countries go to the polls to elect members of the European Parliament.
Britain was meant to have left the EU on March 29, 2019, and few envisaged that we would be taking part in the European elections.
But part of the Brexit extension deal agreed between Brussels and the UK means if European Parliament elections do not take place Britain will be forced to leave on June 1, 2019, without a deal.
Preparations are underway to hold the vote despite Theresa May saying at the end of March the public would find it “unacceptable”.
The parties have to submit the names of the candidates representing them to the elections watchdog by April 25, or 24 hours earlier in the case of the South West region.
May repeatedly said it would be "unacceptable" for Britain to have to take part in the European polls to elect a new raft of MEPs, but now she's got no choice as she's not secured a Brexit deal yet.
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How long will the MEPs sit for?
If a Brexit deal is agreed before the election date or soon after then the UK’s MEPS will not take their seats.
But if that doesn’t happen then the newly elected MEPs will take their place in the European Parliament – which sits in Brussels and Strasbourg - in early July.
European Council President Donald Tusk has said that MEPs could sit for “months or even longer” if the negotiations drag on.
At this stage, how long the UK MEPs will continue to sit is anyone's guess.