Memorandum by the Southampton City Council
Liberal Democratic Group and Southampton City Council Labour Group
(VOT 14)
1. INTRODUCTION
The Committee has resolved to carry out a joint
inquiry with the Constitutional Affairs Committee into voter registration.
The Joint Committee has asked for comments on
the following issues:
(a) Advantages of individual registration
compared with the existing systems.
(b) Strategies for encouraging registration,
in particular amongst young voters, and tackling resistance to
registration including examination of the advantages and disadvantages
of compulsory registration.
(c) Issues of geographic and ethnic variations
in levels of voter registration.
(d) Advantages or disadvantages of electronic
rather than paper based systems.
(e) Difficulties for the disabled and others
unable to complete forms.
(f) Availability and confidentiality of the
register.
(g) Basis for individual registration eg
address based or on personal criteria such as NI number or birth
date.
(h) The desirability of a national electoral
register.
(i) Means of ensuring the security of the
register : PIN numbers, electoral voting cards, signatures.
The Committee invites comments on these issues
by 14 January 2005.
2. COMMENTS
(a) The existing system provides for only
one person in the household to supply details. This arrangement
is logistically easier but places a responsibility on one person
to ensure all the details are correct. In standard "family"
households this is not a problem but in other situations, eg houses
in multiple occupation, status and qualification of everyone may
not be known.
There is a particular issue with regard to opt
out and one person might not know if another householder wishes
to be on the edited version. Individual registration will be more
complex to manage but will effectively cleanse the register. Declarations
as to the accuracy of the information will enable random checking
and also provide a validation mechanism for postal vote checks.
(b) Registration must be compulsory. Should
National ID cards be introduced a condition that the applicant
is on the register of electors could be applied—this would
give electoral registration more focus. Some members of the public
regularly complain that information is supplied to Local Councils
and Government Departments through a variety of methods—why
cannot this information be consolidated.
Greater access to registration is required. Text,
email, automated telephone methods would attract young persons.
The public are not generally aware that the data
is used for other purposes. Despite the argument as to whether
the data should be used for electoral purposes only the ability
to gain credit or prove residence for a variety of reasons is
based on the electoral register. If this is to remain the case
then the public should be made aware.
Compulsory registration will undoubtedly increase
registration but Councils will incur significant enforcement costs.
There is also likely to be objection to this requirement which
may impact on other service areas across local authorities as
some people may attempt to become anonymous.
Most people still perceive registration to be
fundamentally linked to voting and have the view that if they
do not vote they do not need to register. The issue of compulsory
voting is not for consideration here but there is a case for both
these issues to be considered together.
(c) There are language difficulties across
many parts of the UK. Only recently have attempts been made to
address this. Before the Electoral Commission published registration
language leaflets Councils undertook their own campaigns to reach
ethnic groups. This has led to significant funding implications.
There is a need to develop awareness across all groups of the
benefits of registration and being involved in the democratic
process—how Councils affect every day living etc. There
may also be a perception by some that despite being a commonwealth
or European Citizen they are not British and as such not entitled
to register.
Most people identify with their local authorities
and generally are aware of who represents them. What Councils
represent them for is the bigger issue. In places where three
tier representation exists (County, District, Parish) there is
sometimes confusion over which body is responsible for certain
services. Ultimately this leads to disengagement.
(d) Almost every form of application is available
electronically. As time moves on people will expect this to be
the sole or main method. Electronic Registration can be fast,
more cost effective and targeted. Younger persons will be more
encouraged to use this method and the flexibility of IT will enable
the registration process to be linked to a variety of Council
applications and marketing tools. The reduction in paper, postage
and staff resources will be substantial.
Issues of security will, however, need to be
addressed. Personal information will be travelling across the
net and satisfactory measures will need to be in place to protect
this information. Validation of the information will also be an
issue for the Electoral Registration Officer.
(e) Consolidation of information required
by Councils will assist. One application form for Council Tax,
Housing, Benefits, Electoral Registration etc will reduce the
burden and enable carers, relatives etc to assist. It is not uncommon
for Service Areas to offer assistance to disabled persons but
multi channel facilities will overcome some difficulties.
(f) Many organisations, the Electoral Commission
included, have called for the register to be used for electoral
purposes only. The credit reference agencies (who are entitled
to purchase full copies), are skilled in manipulating the data
and consequently some electors are reluctant to provide details
when they know it will result in personal profiling to assist
commercial marketing companies. The current electoral registration
prescribed form makes no reference to other use which is deceiving
and wrong.
(g) There are two facets to this question.
Firstly to ensure polling facilities are efficient and easy to
facilitate an address based system is the only reasonable method.
Secondly individual registration must involve some form of personal
validation in order to prevent fraud. Not everyone has an NI number
so the date of birth is an easier identifier. In time (and subject
to legislation) the National ID number could be used.
(h) A national register will provide many
additional electoral benefits. It will assist in cleansing the
database and reduce duplicate registration. It will enable changes
in registration closer to polling day rather than the early deadline
currently applied and above will provide the infrastructure for
electronic and remote voting. It is essential, however, that management
of data is conducted at a local level and access is strictly controlled.
(i) The key is to ensure the person who is
registering and subsequently voting is that person. Appropriate
security mechanisms need to be in place including opportunities
for the Electoral Registration Officer to validate signatures
through any nationally held data. Specified offences and appropriate
penalties will need to be introduced to prevent fraud. PIN numbers
can be used by others so a secondary identifier such as date of
birth would be advisable. Electronic voting cards should only
be issued on the occasion of an election where the Returning Officer
can put arrangements in place to ensure proper and secure allocation
to electors.
|
