Shortfall In Electoral Registration

EDM number 150 in 1996-97, proposed by Harry Barnes on 06/11/1996.

That this House notes that the latest available figures show that 4.7 per cent. of the eligible population are missing from electoral registers compared to 2.3 per cent. in 1983; further notes that the position is worse among attainers, those living in rented, private and unfurnished accommodation, Londoners, 21 to 24 year olds, black people, New Commonwealth citizens and those who have moved in the past year as well as homeless people of whom about 90 per cent. must be missing; believes that the official figures understate this serious democratic deficit and that some 3.5 million people are missing; further believes that since those missing in the greatest numbers are not a representative cross-section of society this seriously affects election results and distorts opinion polls; recognises that the main reason for this dramatic shortfall is that the outdated voter registration system has failed to keep up with increasing social mobility as people move around the country with their jobs or looking for jobs; further recognises that it seems to be in this Government's interests to complacently accept a useless system of voter registration; urges the introduction of a system of rolling registration, favoured by many electoral registration officers which, with suitable safeguards, allows people to register to vote where they live and when they live there; and further urges increased funding of local electoral registration and national publicity campaigns as well as a change in law and practices to allow homeless people to register and increased access to voting and polling stations by disabled people.

This motion has been signed by a total of 60 MPs.