Data sharing may be key to smartening up electoral roll admin

The government has modified proposals for a new individual register of voters to make the scheme simpler for voters. 

 

Updated proposals for so-called Individual Electoral Registration (IER) will improve the accuracy of the electoral register, make it harder to opt out, and make the transition to IER easier for most people, it says. 

 

Initial proposals for moving away from a system of household registration towards a system of individual registration were first published in June 2011. The government says registration by household, introduced in the 19th century does not reflecting today’s reality for those who live in, for example, house-shares, bedsits or student accommodation. Great Britain is the only remaining modern Western democracy that still has a system of household registration. it alleges.

 

Mark Harper, the Minister for Political and Constitutional Reform, noted, “The Coalition government has been clear from the start that the outdated system of household registration should end. Instead, voters should be registered individually so that we have a more accurate and complete register.

 

"Ultimately, it’s about empowering people to have their say in politics by voting.”