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Electoral Registration: Time for Change
Author(s) -
MARSHALL BEN,
STEWART DOUGLAS
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
the political quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.373
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1467-923X
pISSN - 0032-3179
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-923x.2005.00709.x
Subject(s) - commission , voting , voter registration , public administration , political science , gateway (web page) , administration (probate law) , law , computer science , politics , world wide web
Electoral registration is the key building block for the administration of elections. It is the gateway to voting: people cannot vote at elections in the UK if their name is not on the register. In recent times there has been much debate in media and Westminster circles about current arrangements for electoral registration and the related issue of the future of postal voting. This article presents new research published by the Electoral Commission in September 2005 investigating non‐registration and its causes. It reviews the case for reform, considers the current policy debate and outlines some of the challenges involved in maximising registration rates. It summarises the Commission's policy recommendations and the reasoning behind them, focusing in particular on the suggested move from the current household‐based system of registration to a system of individual registration