Elections and voting
MPs are elected to the House of Commons in
General Elections. A General Election is usually
held every five years.
A General Election is an opportunity for members
of the public to choose an MP to provide a
voice for them and for their local area, which
is known as a constituency.
There are 650 constituencies in the UK and
each one is represented by an MP. The elected
MP represents everyone in the constituency,
whether they voted for them or not.
If an MP resigns, has died or becomes ineligible
to hold the post, a by-election is usually
held to elect a new MP.
Until a new MP is elected, constituency matters
are usually handled by a neighbouring MP of
the same party.
General elections and by-elections for the
UK Parliament use the first past the post
system which means the candidate who receives
the most votes becomes the MP.
It is important to vote if you want a say
on who represents you and your area. To be
eligible to vote, you must be 18 or over and
a British citizen, a qualifying Commonwealth
citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland.
Find out more about elections and voting at
www.parliament.uk/elections
