Types of election, referendums, and who can vote
Northern Ireland Assembly
There are 90 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) in the Northern Ireland Assembly.
To vote in Northern Ireland Assembly elections you must:
- be registered to vote
- be 18 or over on the day of the election (‘polling day’)
- be registered at an address in the area you want to vote in
- not be legally excluded from voting
You can vote if you’re a British or Irish citizen.
You can also vote if you have permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man - or you do not need permission - and you’re a:
- Commonwealth citizen
- citizen of Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal or Spain
- citizen of another EU country, if you have had permission to enter or stay - or not needed permission - since 31 December 2020, and this has continued without a break
In Northern Ireland, MLAs are elected using the Single Transferable Vote system. You rank the candidates in order of preference.
Read more about the Northern Ireland Assembly elections on the Electoral Commission website.