It’s National Voter Registration Day…so register!

Today, Thursday 5 February, was National Voter Registration Day. Amid concerns about the number of people who are not currently on the electoral register, campaigning bodies such as Operation Black Vote want to highlight the value of the vote and how to register.

Those groups particularly under-represented on the voter register are young adults and people from Black minority ethnic (BME) communities.

Research by the Electoral Commission shows that 76 per cent of BME people are currently registered to vote, ten per cent less than white people.

To redress this imbalance, OBV has commissioned a specially converted coach to visit areas with high BME populations to encourage and enable people to vote. It will have 12 computer stations so that people can register on-line.

Helpers will be on hand to answer queries, and the Electoral Commission’s leaflet on how to register will be available on the coach in English and a variety of other languages.

In the press release put out by the Electoral Commission highlighting that the UK’s faith leaders have united to encourage registration on National Voter Registration Day, Simon Woolley of OBV said:

The heart of any democracy is its people and their engagement within it. Registering to vote ensures you are as important as any other voter in the land, no matter what your faith, your gender or your race."

Cabinet Office Minister Sam Gyimah said:

The right to vote has been hard-won, and it is the duty of everyone in public life, including the government, to make sure everyone who is eligible to vote is able to vote."

Just by being registered gives you a voice… allows you to sit on juries as a Jury member and above politicians will listen to you as they know you have the power to decide who wins and who loses in the forthcoming the General Election. So, register today and use that vote on 7 May.

Do you remember the the deadline for voter registration?
It is 20th April 2015

Paul Hensby