Theresa May shook the nation, shocked members of her own cabinet, and perhaps even surprised herself by announcing plans to call a snap general election for Thursday, 8th June.

This will be the third nationwide poll to take place during Exam Term for most Cambridge finalists, whilst younger students will be voting for the first time in a Westminster election.

What They Can Do

Cambridge has been represented by Labour’s Daniel Zeichner since the 2015 General Election. The former Norfolk councillor, a history graduate from King’s College, slipped the seat from beneath Julian Huppert with a majority of 599 votes, ending 14 years of Liberal Democrat tenure.

“If predictions of a Labour slump and Liberal fightback in 2017 are to be believed, the Lib Dem stalwart will start the campaign as favourite”

Dr Huppert, who studied biological chemistry at Trinity College and also served as a councillor before becoming the local MP, has confirmed he will be returning to fight for the office.

If predictions of a Labour slump and Liberal fightback in 2017 are to be believed, the Lib Dem stalwart will start the campaign as favourite.

The Conservatives, who came a clear third in the 2015 ballot, are yet to announce their latest choice. The Cambridge Green Party have selected Stuart Tuckwood, a nurse at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, as their candidate having finished fourth last time around.

It also remains to be seen whether UKIP’s Culture, Media and Sport Spokesperson and former Director of Communications, Patrick O’Flynn MEP, will once again stand in Cambridge.

What We Can Do

You can vote in this election if you are a British or Commonwealth citizen, or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland. EU citizens resident in the UK cannot vote in general elections, though they can vote in local elections.

Register online at this address using your National Insurance number: gov.uk/register-to-vote. The deadline for registration will likely be the 22nd of May.

Students with a permanent home address in the UK can decide whether to vote in Cambridge or in the electoral area where they live, but it is an offence to vote twice in a general election - though they can vote in two separate local elections.

Since Cambridge is the most marginal seat between Labour and the Liberal Democrats, left-leaning voters are likely to have the most influence in this constituency. Conservative and UKIP supporters, however, may be better off voting elsewhere.

In England, Scotland and Wales, you can register to vote by post or by proxy if you are unable to vote on the day.

If you have signed up to vote in the local and mayoral elections in Cambridge, you may not need to re-register