Elections bill 'would give millions a voice'

Tuesday, 8 November 2005 12:00 AM

Electoral administration officers would have to visit non-registered voters in their homes to try to get them on the electoral roll under new plans being debated by MPs today.

The electoral administration bill, which reaches the committee stage in the Commons this afternoon, is intended to ensure everyone who is eligible to vote is on the register.

Currently, one in six Londoners is not on the electoral roll, while one in five of those living in unfurnished, rented accommodation, and one in five of 20 to 24-year-olds are not registered.

Today's bill will require electoral administrators to send registration forms to a voter more than once; go to visit them in person at least twice; and even track people down at job centres and colleges if they do not respond, to ensure the electoral roll is as complete as possible.

"The reality is that democracy is alive and well in better off areas but for too many of our communities 'under-registration' combined with a low turnout of votes means they have effectively lost their voice," said elections minister Harriet Harman.

"Poor people, tenants, people living in cities, young people and people from minority ethnic groups are most likely to be excluded from democracy by not being on the electoral register.

"The UK is proud of our democracy. But it is not working properly when up to three million people are denied the right to vote."

Other provisions in the bill include reducing the age someone can stand for election from 21 to 18, and introducing a pilot scheme to help tackle postal voting fraud through individual registrations.

This has already proved controversial - the Electoral Commission recommended that individual registration be brought in across the country as soon as possible. However, the government argues it is vital to test if it works before introducing such schemes nationwide.

Another area of concern is the proposal to lower the threshold for the number of votes a political party must win before it can win back its £500 deposit, from five per cent to two per cent in any given constituency.

The Tories warn this would encourage extremist parties such as the British National party (BNP) by enabling them to claim significantly more of their deposits back, and consequently field more candidates.

Tags: