Should Americans be allowed to vote in the UK

From another perspective, generally speaking, Canadian citizens living abroad are not allowed to vote after 5 years + of being abroad - I assume the argument is that the knowledge / understanding may be lacking by being absent from Canada; however, in this ever shrinking world, that is harder to argue. I think the voting right is also tied to assessment of ties to Canada for taxation purposes.
Exemptions to this rule are there for:
   1. an employee of a federal or provincial public administration; or
   2. an employee of an international organization of which Canada is a member and to which Canada contributes; or
   3. a person who lives with an elector described in a. or b. above, or with a member of the Canadian Forces, or with a civilian employed as a teacher or as administrative support staff in a Canadian Forces school

Info here: http://www.elections.ca/content.asp?section=ins&dir=svr&document=index&lang=e&textonly=false

If a Canadian citizen returns to Canada to live, then voting right resumes.

Have you got some stats to backup the assertion most don't?

Just found this link (excerpt from a textbook - bottom of page 310 to top of page 311) that states that between 620 and 1,170 people per year renounced UK citizenship between 1987 and 1997, and in 2003. Compare this to the number of UK citizens moving abroad each year, which was 190,000 in 2003, and that is a very tiny number... approximately 0.5%.

Only way someone is getting my voting rights in the US off me is if I DIE.

If I'm still paying my US taxes (which I am) then I sure as hell am going to have a say in how they go to use. It doesn't matter that I don't keep a finger on every single little thing that is going on there. I am familiar with the bigger issues and think it would be wrong to take away my rights simply because I don't live there anymore.

But I do believe that voting should be a right for the citizens, not those with only a resident visa. Would I love to be able to vote in the UK without having to go through the rigmarole of getting citizenship? Heck yeah. However I still think it's something that should only be given to citizens.

Have you got stats to back up your assertion that people living abroad "lose the thread" and are less connected than people who live in a country?  And who said anything about renouncing anything?  Just because someone goes to live in another country that doesn't mean they've renounced their native one.  Frankly, I think it's a bit cheeky of you to come on to a forum for expats and tell us that by moving we've cut all vital ties to our native country and should therefore lose the right to vote there.  

You don't need stats to stat the obvious, it's just common sense.

No were not talking about the right of american's to vote in america after they leave, I think you probably need to take a deep breath and re-read the title of this thread to remind yourself what is about.

Lets calm down and keep this reasonable please.

You don't need stats to stat the obvious, it's just common sense.

No were not talking about the right of american's to vote in america after they leave, I think you probably need to take a deep breath and re-read the title of this thread to remind yourself what is about.

Lets calm down and keep this reasonable please.

Um, Lee:

(1) You asked for stats.

(2) Discussions evolve. You raised the issue of  people who move away from their home country.

(3) I think everyone is being very reasonable and calm in this thread.

I don't believe this has been mentioned within this thread, but UK citizens lose their right to vote in the UK when they've been non-resident for 15 years:

British citizens who have been resident in the UK and registered to vote within the last 15 years are eligible to register to vote as overseas voters in UK Parliamentary and European Parliamentary elections in the UK. However, only a fraction of those eligible are registered to vote. Overseas voters can apply to vote by post or by proxy if they will be outside the UK on polling day

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/news-and-media/public-awareness-campaigns/overseas-voters

Um, Lee:

(1) You asked for stats.

(2) Discussions evolve. You raised the issue of  people who moving away from their home country.

(3) I think everyone is being very reasonable and calm in this thread.

That wasn't really an answer was it?

1. Yes I did and your retort for you lack of facts was to ask for something that's undefinable by stats but is most certainly definable by common sense.

2. It is true discussions evolve but moving the goal posts is fine but you have to accept when someone asks you to return to the subject in hand and not something else which isn't related to the thread.

3. Telling me I'm being cheeky about stating an opinion about who can vote in MY country makes you look ridiculous.

That wasn't really an answer was it?

1. Yes I did and your retort for you lack of facts was to ask for something that's undefinable by stats but is most certainly definable by common sense.

I haven't actually asked for any stats. Have you read my posts? 

I haven't actually asked for any stats. Have you read my posts? 

Yes I have.

Apologies my mistake.

On whether Americans should vote in the UK...I'm going to have to go with no, even if they have ILR.  And this is coming from someone who was a permanent resident in the US for a very long time and wasn't allowed to vote until I finally got citizenship.  I just really believe that one of the privileges of citizenship of a certain country should be the right to vote.  And on that note, I think I would prefer it if Commonwealth citizens didn't have the right to vote (despite the fact that I'm a Commonwealth citizen myself so I actually can vote here despite not being British. I feel uncomfortable with it, though, so I choose not to vote until I naturalize here.)  

I think it's absolutely fine for citizens living abroad to vote in their home countries, though.  The fundamental rights of citizenship (namely, being able to live/work in the country without restriction & being able to vote in the affairs of your country) should not be diluted based on where you live.

I completely agree with this. I don't personally feel I should be allowed to vote in matters related to the UK until I become a citizen here. It's a priviledge that makes citizenship more special. Plus by the time I become a citizen, I will be more knowledgable about the political systems in place here. But I also feel I should retain my right to vote on affairs in America - just because I live here doesn't mean I don't care about what happens over there and I am up to date on political matters there - it's much easier for people to stay informed now thanks to worldwide news coverage and the internet, so I don't see why they shouldn't still have a say. My family still resides there, so I do still hold an interest.

As a dual US/Canadian citizen, I'm really of two minds about this.

I hate living in a country where I don't have civic rights. It may be a small thing to some, but it means a big deal to me. I like to follow current events, and it bugs me when I can't contribute to the process in some small way. When I was living in Germany, I felt completely excluded civically and politically, and I can't say I liked that feeling. Being allowed to vote or serve on juries or petition my MP as a voter or even being on the electoral roll...they all give me the sense that I'm part of the country I'm living in.

That said, it does create a weird sensation when I am treated like a foreigner. Like when I have to go through the non-EU queue. Or when I'm played for a fool or gouged by the Home Office. That really stings. Part of my brain doesn't get it, and the other part has to remind myself that I am NOT a citizen. Yet. This is further complicated by the fact that I am here on the Ancestry path with a long family history in this country. I don't want to whinge because I know that I have it better than most. But still, to be given some privileges of citizenship but not all of them can be a very confusing experience.

So I can see the arguments from both sides. For myself it's been a curious ride being a foreigner and not at the same time. I reckon that that's what the Goldsmith report was trying to sort out.

3. Telling me I'm being cheeky about stating an opinion about who can vote in MY country makes you look ridiculous.

I didn't say you were being cheeky for believing that Americans shouldn't have the right to vote in the UK.  I agree with that.  I said you were being cheeky for arguing that when people leave their country (any country) that they cut their ties, lose their connections to their native country, and therefore should no longer be able to vote there.  That's a strange argument to make on an expat forum.  I read all your posts and I can't quite determine what your point of view is.  Have you ever lived abroad? 

As a dual US/Canadian citizen, I'm really of two minds about this.

I hate living in a country where I don't have civic rights. It may be a small thing to some, but it means a big deal to me. I like to follow current events, and it bugs me when I can't contribute to the process in some small way. When I was living in Germany, I felt completely excluded civically and politically, and I can't say I liked that feeling. Being allowed to vote or serve on juries or petition my MP as a voter or even being on the electoral roll...they all give me the sense that I'm part of the country I'm living in.

That said, it does create a weird sensation when I am treated like a foreigner. Like when I have to go through the non-EU queue. Or when I'm played for a fool or gouged by the Home Office. That really stings. Part of my brain doesn't get it, and the other part has to remind myself that I am NOT a citizen. Yet. This is further complicated by the fact that I am here on the Ancestry path with a long family history in this country. I don't want to whinge because I know that I have it better than most. But still, to be given some privileges of citizenship but not all of them can be a very confusing experience.

So I can see the arguments from both sides. For myself it's been a curious ride being a foreigner and not at the same time. I reckon that that's what the Goldsmith report was trying to sort out.

Would you be prepared to serve in the armed forces of the country you are in?

london_lad, that's how I felt in the US when I was not yet a citizen but old enough to fully participate in public life had I been a citizen. I had/have extremely strong cultural ties to America because I grew up there and it was extremely galling to realise at age 18 that I couldn't vote, and that there were jobs I couldn't do because I wasn't technically a citizen (even though for all intents and purposes, I was American.)  I can imagine having strong family ties to a country could provoke a similar feeling.

I've felt much less conflicted about it in the UK, though, where I moved as an adult and have no particular tie to besides the fact that my husband is British.  I would like to fully participate in public life, but the desire is not quite as intense as it was in the US (I cried when I finally got my American passport, but while I'll be happy to get the UK one, it won't be quite the same.)

Tricky question but on balance I'd say no as they can't keep upto date with whats happening there.

If you go and live in another country why should you have the right to vote on it's there when you don't pay taxes nor take part in the country's affairs.

Even a citizen living overseas is subject to some of his or her home country's laws. The home country's politicians also create laws that affect all citizens, including expats (taxation, immigration policy, family visas, for example).  I think they should still be able to vote in their home country's elections.

I work with a number of expats.  They do maintain ties to their home countries, and I feel they should be allowed to vote in those countries' elections and referendums.  As for me, I would not expect voting rights in a country where I was not a citizen.