MoD promises action after survey reveals many troops do not vote

MoD acts on low voter turnout

MoD acts on low voter turnout

The government has announced changes to the way armed forces personnel can vote after new figures show just a quarter of troops overseas voted in the last election.

A survey from the Defence Analytical Services Agency reveals that just 28 per cent of overseas personnel, and 46 per cent of all troops, cast their ballot last May.

This compares to the UK average of 61 per cent, and comes despite two major campaigns by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) last year to inform people of their democratic rights.

The survey reveals that 40 per cent of armed forces personnel were not even on the electoral roll, and 61 per cent did not realise that to vote through the armed forces, they had to re-register every 12 months.

Election Turnout

Under the Representation of the People Act 2000, armed forces personnel are able to register to vote through the services or as civilians, and today’s figures show 67 per cent chose the latter route, compared to just 28 per cent who registered as servicemen.

But the act also made it compulsory for those registering through the armed forces to re-register every year, whereas previously a person was registered for the whole of their military career. Opposition MPs have blamed this for the low participation rates.

“This is clear evidence that the government knew there was a problem with voting arrangements for servicemen and women, but did nothing about it,” said shadow defence secretary Liam Fox.

“Under Tony Blair, they are more likely to fight and less likely to be able to vote. It is a bitter irony that while troops are out in Iraq and Afghanistan implanting democracy, they cannot exercise those rights themselves.”

However, the government has now tabled an amendment to the electoral administration bill, which will receive its second reading in the Lords tomorrow, to ensure servicemen and women need only register every five years.

Lord Garden, defence spokesman for the Liberal Democrats and a former air marshall, said he was delighted at the change of heart.

“It has been an extraordinary battle to make it easier for our armed forces to vote, when they have been risking their lives to secure elections for the peoples of Iraq, Afghanistan and the Balkans,” he said.

Another government amendment has also been added to the bill to allow the MoD to keep records on how many service personnel are registered to vote through the armed forces, and a spokeswoman said this would be invaluable in future information campaigns.

“The population of the armed forces is mainly young and mobile, and Electoral Commission research shows that among the general population, young people and those who have recently moved are less likely to be registered,” she said.

“Nonetheless we accept that more needs to be done, which is why we ran two major information campaigns last year encouraging service personnel to register.

“All military units are now required to nominate a unit registration officer who can act as a focal point for future information campaigns.”