Voting Rights of Patients with Mental illness or intellectual disability

Advice and Information - 12 June 2024

In the run-up to the general election on 4 July 2024, we would like to share information about the voting rights of mental health patients and those living with intellectual disability.

someone putting their vote in the ballot box

Even though the law now allows most patients to vote, individuals with mental health conditions and intellectual disability have historically been socially isolated and marginalised. This has contributed to their much lower voting rates compared to the general public.

One reason for this is that many people, including patients, mental health staff and carers, do not know about the rights of mental health and intellectual disability patients to vote. In addition to information barriers, there are also psychological and/or physical barriers they need to overcome.

Supporting patients to register and to vote is vital to improving the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in society.

Learning Disability England has accessible resources and information, including easy read guides, to help you vote in the upcoming elections. You can find more information here.

Who can vote?

The vast majority of patients in the community can vote.
Voluntary patients in mental health hospitals can vote.
Patients under civil sections, such as section 2 and 3 of the Mental Health Act (MHA), can vote.
Patients on a Community Treatment Order (CTO) can vote.
Patients who lack capacity can vote.
Patients who are homeless, of no fixed abode or in B&B accommodation can vote. Prisoners remanded to hospital under the Mental Health Act (MHA) on Sections 35, 36 or 48 can vote.

Only patients detained after having been convicted of committing a criminal offence and been ordered to hospital by the Courts cannot vote.

Anyone can also register to vote by post or by proxy.

Key dates

Deadline for registering to vote: 23.59 Tuesday 18 June
Deadline for applying for a postal vote: 17.00 Wednesday 19 June
Deadline for applying for a proxy vote: 17.00 Wednesday 26 June
Deadline for applying for a Voter Authority Certificate: 17.00 Wednesday 26 June
Polling day: 07.00 – 22.00 Thursday 4 July

To find out more on how to vote, visit the government website.

Other useful links include: My Vote My Voice, Electoral Commission and Rethink Mental Illness.

The Central and North West London NHS Trust also has a page with resources to guide patients that would like to vote.