At what age can your name be added to the electoral register?

The electoral register is a list of everyone who is eligible to vote in public elections. In the UK, the age of majority, meaning when you're legally considered an adult, is 18. This age has been in place since 1969, lowered from 21. Reaching 18 brings a whole host of rights and responsibilities, including the ability to vote, enter into contracts, and purchase alcohol. Because voting is a right granted to adults, you can only be added to the electoral register once you are 18 or over. While you can *register* to vote a little earlier, at 16 in Scotland and 14 in Wales, your name won't actually appear on the register until you're old enough to legally cast a ballot. So, while 16 and 21 might seem like plausible ages, they don't align with the UK's legal definition of adulthood and voting rights.