The Electoral Commission estimates that 13% of people are not registered to vote in the South East as nearly half the region gets set to go to the polls on 3 May 2018.
The Commission’s brand new campaign “Got 5?” is encouraging people across the South East to register online at gov.uk/register-to-vote before the 17 April deadline if they have local elections in their area.
It’s estimated between 720,000 and 870,000 aren’t registered to vote in the region.
The campaign is particularly targeted at people under 34, recent home movers and private renters who are less likely to be registered, and highlights that you can quickly register in five minutes while waiting for the kettle to boil or running a bath.
Philippa Saray, Electoral Commission Regional Manager for the South East, said: “With 29 local authorities in the South East holding local elections in May it’s vital that people register to vote before the 17 April deadline.
“We’re keen to see people using the time that may otherwise be wasted, like waiting for a bus, to go online and complete a form in less than five minutes. It’s quick, simple and really important.”
People can find out if they have elections in their area on the Commission’s Your Vote Matters website. Local government elections select councillors, who are responsible for making decisions on running services in your local area.
To vote in local council elections a person must be registered to vote, 18 years or over on polling day and also be one of the following:
- a British citizen, a qualifying Commonwealth citizen, or a citizen of the European Union
- resident in the UK
- not be subject to any legal incapacity to vote
If you were eligible to vote in last year’s general election and your details have not changed, you will still be registered to vote.
More information on voting in the local elections can be found on the Your Vote Matters website.