10 million voters to potentially lose vote

Proposed government changes to the voting system could remove as many as 10 million voters, predominantly poor, young or Black.

The Electoral Commission, along with electoral administrators and other campaigners warned introducing Individual Voter Registration (IVR) could have a serious impact on future elections.

Under the current system, the head of the household is responsible for filling out a registration form but IVR also known as Individual Electoral Registration (IER) would require individuals to register themselves on the electoral roll in a move, which Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg believes will eliminate voting fraud.

Head of OBV Simon Woolley, who gave evidence to the Select Committee earlier this week said,

"I'm shocked at the forecast for those falling off the register. If these figures are close to what might occur then Black people will undoubtedly suffer. We urgently need assurances that plans will not go ahead without safeguards. It's been a bad political week for the Black community, earlier on in the week we were told that the boundary changes, which is part of the same Bill going through parliament, could result in the loss of 4 BME MPs including Chuka Umunna, Sadiq Khan, Chi Onwurah and Priti Patel."

Labour MPs are concerned with the reforms, fearing that it would drive poor, inner city residents off the register and affect their chances at elections.

Jenny Russell, Chair of the Electoral Commission said the policy was the biggest change to voting since the introduction of the universal franchise.

Russell said,

"It is logical to suggest that those that do not vote in elections will not see the point of registering to vote and it is possible that the register may therefore go from a 90% completeness that we currently have, to 60-65%."

It is already estimated that as many as 3 million people currently eligible to vote do not register even though it is compulsory to co-operate with the compilation of the registry.

Therefore Ministers unexpected proposals that it should no longer be compulsory to co-operate with Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) when they try to compile an accurate register, in effect downgrades the civic duty to engage with politics.

There are fears that these changes could further remove already disenfranchised communities from the political process. John Stewart, Chairman of the Electoral Registration Officers, added that while the drop-off in voters was likely to be 10% in "the leafy shires", it would affect closer to 30% in inner city areas. Stewart said he expected a large number of young voters not to register. He added that one of the incentives not to do so was because the list is also used for jury service and combating credit fraud.

The results have shocked MPs on the Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee after examining the White Paper which proposes introducing IVR rather than household registration before the 2015 election.

The committee Chairman, Labour MP Graham Allen, said they were "genuinely shocked". Even Conservative members such as Eleanor Laing expressed surprise.

According to the Guardian, the projected 30% fall off in registered voters, weighted towards poorer voters, would require the Boundary Commission to reduce the number of inner-city Labour seats because the Boundary Commission is required to draw up constituencies with the sole objective of equalising the size of the electorates which does not take into account natural or political borders.

Tristam Hunt, a Labour Committee Member, said,

"These plans show how little this government really cares about democracy or fairness. If they get away with it, the effect on the 2020 General Election will make the chaotic boundary review published this week look minor. This is designed to wipe the poor and the young off the political map. We are moving from a notion of registering as part as a civic duty to something akin to personal choice like a Nectar card or BA miles."