Problem joining electoral register

Q: We have received an application form to register as UK overseas voters. We are disturbed that it asks for a supporting declaration from a fellow holder of a British passport who is also resident in France. When we lived in England we voted regularly and never had to have this extra declaration. Why does what is in effect a change of address require this? Are we to be disenfranchised as we do not know well any Britons who live in France and are reluctant to ask a stranger to fill in this in for us?

An Electoral Commission spokesman said the reason overseas voters need a British passport holder to witness their application is that parliament decided this was an appropriate security procedure to prevent fraudulent registration.

He added that although consular and embassy staff will not sign your registration form, they may be able to point you to UK expat groups in your area who will help you find someone to do it.

Also, if you have a preferred political party, they would probably be happy to help you find someone, he said.

The form can be signed by any expat, even one who does not live in the same country as you.

They have to certify they are 18 or more, they hold a British passport but do not live in the UK, they are not a close relative or partner (spouse, civil partner, parent, grandparent, brother, sister, child or grandchild) and "to the best of their knowledge" you are a UK citizen and do not live in the UK.

In other words, they do not need to know you intimately.

There are two useful sites to find out more www.dontleaveyourvoteathome.com which is run by the Conservative Party (this site can also help you find a proxy voter in the UK) and the UK government’s site www.aboutmyvote.co.uk