Labour’s candidate for the General Election in South Dorset has this week urged local young people to ensure that they are registered to vote, and to ensure that their voice is heard in this May’s general and local elections.
Speaking yesterday at Budmouth College’s Democracy Day – which coincided with National Voter Registration Day – Simon Bowkett said:
“In the last year almost one million people have fallen off the Electoral Register, and this is particularly an issue in towns like Weymouth where the levels of people housed in the private rented sector are relatively high. This is a direct consequence of the Government’s decision to ignore warnings that rushing through new individual registration reforms would damage democracy.
“This is nothing less than a scandal. The Government is sitting by and watching thousands of young people in South Dorset lose their democratic right to vote. Today I have met hundreds of bright, questioning and articulate young people at Budmouth – and they deserve to have their voices heard loud and clear in the general election this May. That’s why I’m determined to do all I can to get local young people back on the electoral register, and casting their votes.
“This General Election is an opportunity for young people to shape their future with better policies on housing, jobs and pay. So make you sure you have a voice – and then make sure you get heard – because the stakes for your generation are greater than ever.”
The event at Budmouth College offered sixth form students an opportunity to grill candidates from five local parties, firstly in a rapid, “speed-dating” format, and then in a “Question Time” style panel debate. Issued raised by the young people included debating whether politics is now “style over substance”, lowering of the voting age, equal marriage and what is meant by “British Values”.
Labour is currently holding a policy consultation with young people called #ShapeYourFuture – which will put the ideas and aspirations of young people at the heart of Labour’s plans for the general election and for government.
The consultation runs until the 16th February, and Simon Bowkett has called on as many local young people as possible to participate in the consultation by visiting www.labour.org.uk/shapeyourfuture and by tweeting their ideas on the hashtag #ShapeYourFuture.
Anyone eligible to vote in Dorset can register by visiting https://www.dorsetforyou.com/register-to-vote
MORE INFORMATION
- The Labour government introduced Individual Voter Registration in 2009 with a range of safeguards to protect people’s ability and right to vote. This included phased introduction which would have allowed for progress of individual registration to be closely monitored and appropriate action to take place, and would not have impacted the 2015 General Election.
“[Under Labour’s plans] The final move to compulsory individual registration would not take place until 2015. The Labour Government said that a phased approach would allow progress to be monitored at each stage to ensure that registration rates would be maintained. The Electoral Commission would be required to publish annual progress reports and to make a final recommendation in 2014 on whether the change to individual registration should take place.”
Individual Electoral Registration, House of Commons Library Briefing Note SN06764, Last Updated 20 Oct 2014, https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/research/briefing-papers/SN06764/individual-electoral-registration
- In 2010, the Tory-led Government, however, overturned this legislation to speed the timetable and scrap Labour’s important protections.
“We propose that individual registration will be made compulsory in 2014, but that no one will be removed from the electoral register who fails to register individually until after the 2015 general election, giving people at least 12 months to comply with the new requirements, and ensuring as complete a register as possible for the election. From 2014 onwards any new registrations will need to be carried out under the new system, including last-minute registrations. We will also make individual registration a requirement for anyone wishing to cast a postal or proxy vote. That will tackle immediately the main areas of concern on electoral fraud, but it will ensure that people already on the register can vote at the next election and will have more than one opportunity to register individually.”
Mark Harper, 15 Sep 2010, House of Commons Statement on Individual Electoral Registration, C 883-885
- The Government pressed ahead with this move despite wide ranging warnings about their timetable.
- The Political and Constitutional Reform Committee considered the White Paper, and published a report highlighting key concerns with the implementation of IER, including over the opt-out and not having a full household canvass in 2014.
“We have heard serious concerns that the Government’s current proposals will miss an unacceptably large number of potential electors, and calls from many of our witnesses for a full household canvass in 2014 to address this problem. We believe, given the unique circumstances of the change to IER, that the Government should reconsider its decision not to hold a full household canvass in 2014.”
Individual Electoral Registration and Electoral Administration Report, Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, 27 Oct 2011, https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmpolcon/1463/1463.pdf
“We welcome the Government’s acknowledgment that care needs to be taken not to make it too easy for people to opt out from what is still regarded as a public duty, even under the Government’s current proposal that failure to register to vote should not be a criminal offence. We urge the Government to take the necessary steps in this direction in the Bill.”
Individual Electoral Registration and Electoral Administration Report, Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, 27 Oct 2011,
“We recommend that it should initially be an offence to fail to complete a voter registration form when asked to do so by the relevant electoral registration officer. This should be reviewed after five years of operation of the new system of individual registration, by which time registration levels may be high enough and a culture of individual registration sufficiently embedded for compulsion to no longer be necessary.”
Individual Electoral Registration and Electoral Administration Report, Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, 27 Oct 2011,
“For the next parliamentary constituency boundary reviews to be fair andrepresentative, electoral registers across the country need to be at least as complete—and as consistently complete—as they are now. The Government needs to ensure that its proposals will achieve this end.
Individual Electoral Registration and Electoral Administration Report, Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, 27 Oct 2011,
“There is a risk that the electoral registers in December 2015 will be particularly varied in their levels of completeness: this matters because they will be used under current legislation as the basis for the next boundary review. We recommend using instead the registers as they stood on or before general election day in May 2015.”
Individual Electoral Registration and Electoral Administration Report, Political and Constitutional Reform Committee, 27 Oct 2011
- The Electoral Commission warned that that millions of voters could drop off the register.
“It is logical to suggest that those that do not vote in elections will not see the point of registering to vote and it is possible that the register may therefore go from a 90%completeness that we currently have to 60-65%.”
Jenny Russell, Chair of the Electoral Commission, The Guardian, 15 September, 2011 – https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/sep/15/shocked-mps-electoral-register-shake-up
- The National Union of Students warned about the proposals’ “risks to student registration and participation”.
“NUS does not oppose individual electoral registration (IER) in principle; rather, we are concerned that at the moment the likely positive effects could be outweighed by the negative effects, including risks to student registration and participation.”
National Union of Students Written Evidence to Political and Constitutional Reform Committee 2011, https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmpolcon/1463/1463vw15.htm
“NUS strongly recommends that the Government should not proceed with IER until a strategy for ensuring that student registration will not be damaged has been developed. Similarly, any proposal must include more proactive measures to encourage registration and participation amongst young people and students.”
National Union of Students Written Evidence to Political and Constitutional Reform Committee 2011, https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmpolcon/1463/1463vw15.htm
- There was criticism from electoral registration officers and pollsters.
John Stewart, chairman of the electoral registration officers, said the drop-off was likely to be 10% in “the leafy shires” but closer to 30% in inner city areas. He said there would be an incentive not to register as the list is used for jury service and to combat credit fraud. He said he expected large numbers of young voters would not register.
The Guardian, 15 September, 2011 – https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/sep/15/shocked-mps-electoral-register-shake-up
Roger Mortimore from pollsters Ipsos Mori warned: “It is a very dramatic change and I am opposed to it. So far there is a political effect, it is most likely to disadvantage Labour”, because “people that are least engaged in politics — the poor, the young and the ethnic minorities and all those groups, when they do vote at all are more likely to vote Labour”.
The Guardian, 15 September, 2011 – https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2011/sep/15/shocked-mps-electoral-register-shake-up
- Labour opposed the move to speed up the process and held an opposition day debate on the 16 Jan 2012[1]. Labour called for the government to return to the timetable and safeguards as proposed by Labour by the PPE Act 2009. The motion was defeated. Labour opposed:
- Speeded up timetable.
- Absence of sufficient safeguards (e.g. removal of milestones to monitor the impact of overall registration, downgrading the role of the Electoral Commission).
- Erosion of the civic duty to vote through a move to a voluntary system of registration.
- Potential for long-term deterioration in the accuracy of the electoral register
- Concern was expressed over the opt-out to allow individuals to indicate they do not wished to be chased during a period.
- Labour criticised the partisan way changes were being made, and the potential damage to the registration rates of specific communities:
“The Tories are hoping if they take away the right to vote from students, young people living in rented flats in our cities, people from ethnic minority communities… if fewer of them can vote it will help the Tories win.”
Harriet Harman, Labour Party Conference 2011, Reported by BBC News, 29 Sep 2011, https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-15105043
“Experts are as concerned as my hon. Friend that young people, students and people with learning disabilities and other forms of disability, as well as those living in areas of high social deprivation, are less likely to be registered. Some of those groups are already the most marginalised in society.”
Sadiq Khan MP, Hansard, Column 482, 16 January 2012, https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201212/cmhansrd/cm120116/debtext/120116-0001.htm#12011623000633
“The National Union of Students, among others, has expressed concern about the drop in electoral registration levels in university halls of residence. We share those concerns, and the Government have not come forward with any proposals that have convinced us that this potential problem will be effectively tackled.”
Wayne David MP, Hansard, Column 388, 27 June 2012, https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201213/cmhansrd/cm120627/debtext/120627-0003.htm#12062776004326
- Since the changes have been confirmed, criticism about the Government’s implementation has continued.
- In 2013, the Electoral Commission raised concerns over online registration and funding for Electoral Registration Officers.
“The IT system that will be used to verify people, and a new online registration system, have yet to be fully tested. The Government intends to test them in March 2014, just three months before the start date for IER. This is a tight timetable and the Government must be clearer about its testing and contingency plans and how it will mitigate the risks that have been identified.
“Electoral registration officers and their staff need to be told as soon as possible how much funding they will receive to deliver the transition to IER. The government must continue to engage with them in order to have a good understanding of their preparedness.”
Electoral Commission Press Release, 23 Oct 2013, https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/journalist/electoral-commission-media-centre/news-releases-reviews-and-research/major-change-to-electoral-registration-can-go-ahead-but-risks-to-address,-says-electoral-commission
- On 6 November 2013 the Association of Electoral Administrators published a report into the readiness to implement IER, raising concerns over IT and data-processing and ‘the practical difficulties of registering students, as well as residents of Houses in Multiple Occupation’.
“The Association reported that the general view of its members was that they would deliver IER ‘despite the considerable challenges it will present’. Particular concerns related to the reliance on third parties for the IT infrastructure and data-processing; to the significant impact on administrators’ workload of the introduction of IER during the period of the local and European Parliamentary elections in 2014 and a lack of confidence in the new IER forms. The AEA also remained concerned about the practical difficulties of registering students, as well as residents of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). In the long term the Association raised the issue of adequate funding for the new system after the transitional period was over.”
Individual Electoral Registration, House of Commons Library Briefing Note SN06764, Last Updated 20 Oct 2014, https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/research/briefing-papers/SN06764/individual-electoral-registration
[1] Hansard, 16 Jan 2012, Opposition Day Debate – Individual Voter Registration, Hansard Column 475 – https://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmagenda/ob120116.htm
