Thousands may be barred in AV referendum, says Electoral Commission

THOUSANDS of people could be excluded from May’s national referendum on voting reform, the elections watchdog has warned.

They may have slipped off the voting register because of moving house since the General Election last year, says the Electoral Commission.

There are 5.7 million people registered to vote across London, according to the Office of National Statistics—but there could be thousands more who have dropped from the list.

“We believe there are many who haven’t yet registered to vote,” the commission’s London Regional Counting Officer Barry Quirk said. “That means they are missing out unless they take action.

“Anyone who has moved in the past few months needs to reregister with their new address.”

Otherwise they have no say in May 5 referendum on how Parliament is to be elected in future—whether Britain adopts ‘alternative voting’ where voters have ‘first preference’ and subsequent preferences or keeps the present ‘first past the post’ system.

Registration forms can be obtained from the electoral registration office at the Town Hall or be printed online at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk.