| Summary
The aims of an electoral registration system should be to ensure that the register of electors is accurate and comprehensive, that it should be easy for eligible electors to register to vote and that it should be secure against fraud. Measured against these aims, the current electoral system used in Great Britain could be improved, particularly in view of the increased demand for postal votes and other likely moves towards modernisation of the electoral process.
The case in principle for individual registration, which had been widely thought to be compelling, has been seriously challenged by the Northern Ireland experience of a serious fall in registration. The evidence we have received is that in other parts of the country there has already been a significant fall under the current system and that a further fall would be likely if individual registration were to be introduced in Great Britain without a wide range of other measures to increase registration, as recommended in this Report.
There are four choices for a way forward. First, to design a new system of electoral registration based around the principle of individuals taking responsibility for registering themselves. Given the necessary legislation and some new resources, we understand from electoral administrators that this could be done with a lead-in time of two years. Second, to accept the principle of individual registration without setting a date for implementation. Third, to adapt the existing system of household registration by requiring individual signatures on the registration form. Fourth, to let the system evolve as it has done over recent years.
We examine the principles behind registration: that it should be easy for all those entitled to vote to register, that the system should be politically neutral and that it should not allow those not entitled to vote to appear on the register.
We set out the problems with the existing system and the case for change; ways of ensuring the security of the system; strategies for encouraging registration; our concern about progress on the Central On-line Register of Electors (CORE) project for a national register; and the role of the Government and the Electoral Commission. We have also looked at the use of the electoral register for other purposes, only in so far as such use may discourage registration.
We have deliberately not looked at the question of who has and who should have the right to vote.
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