Have you registered to vote?
REMINDER: The deadline to register to vote in May’s elections is 20 April 2015.
And people in Birmingham can now register online by going to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
Registering online is just one of the improvements being made to the electoral registration system nationwide. Anyone registering to vote must now provide their national insurance number and date of birth, to reduce the risk of fraud.
The new, more secure system of individual registration was introduced last year to replace the old Victorian system where the “head of household” registered everyone living in a property. Now, each individual will be responsible for registering themselves.
Whilst the system is changing, local authorities, including Birmingham City Council, have been working with the Government to roll over as many people as possible onto the new system, and most people will not have to do anything because of the changes.
Robert Connelly, Birmingham City Council’s Head of Electoral Services, said: “This is an important step forward in the electoral system as it enables people to take a proactive approach and register online now, rather than waiting for a form to arrive through the post. Individuals also have responsibility for registering themselves, rather than someone else doing it on their behalf.”
Register to vote at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
