Register to Vote
Turn five minutes of form-filling into a real place in the democratic process. Registering to vote is easy to postpone because nothing dramatic happens when you press submit, yet it is the step that makes every future ballot available to you. It also gives you the option to vote in person, by post or, where eligible, by proxy. In the UK, the electoral register records who is entitled to vote and at which address. Registration does not automatically follow you when you move, and eligibility differs by age, citizenship, location and type of election. There is also an open version of the register that can be bought; you can choose to opt out of that version while remaining on the electoral register used for elections and official purposes. Start with the official government service or contact your local electoral registration office if you are unsure whether you are already registered. Have your National Insurance number to hand if you have one, use the address where you actually live, and register again after changing your name, address or nationality. People whose safety could be put at risk by appearing on the register can investigate anonymous registration rather than avoiding the process altogether. Once registered, check the deadline, voting method and identification rules for each election rather than assuming they are always the same. Add this to your list as a small administrative task with a clear result: when polling day arrives, the choice to participate is yours.