Objective one: Accessible registration and voting

Free and fair elections depend on all people who are eligible and want to vote being able to do so
With this goal, we are striving to:

• Increase levels of voter registration, especially amongst groups that currently have difficulty engaging in the process
• Remove barriers, especially those that affect people who currently have difficulty trying to cast 
  their vote.

We are working to achieve these outcomes through collaboration with policy makers and other partners, to identify barriers to participation and propose solutions. We are directly supporting people who have difficulty engaging in the process, with tailored accessible information and learning resources, and targeted public awareness activity.

Over half a million applications were received to register to vote during the Commission’s campaign ahead of the May 2023 elections in England and Northern Ireland. 

• Awareness of the need to bring accepted photo ID to the polling station rose from 22% to 92% between the pre- and post-election waves of public opinion tracking in England (excluding London where the campaign did not run as there were no elections). 
• We published an interim analysis on the implementation of voter ID in June, drawing on polling station data and public opinion research to inform debate on future implementation of the measure. The research highlighted what proportion of the electorate found it harder to vote because of the new requirement to show photo ID at polling stations, and how this varied by demographic.
• In the autumn, we published election reports for England and Northern Ireland, assessing how the May 2023 elections were run. We put forward recommendations, including to improve the accessibility of the ID requirement in Great Britain and the digital registration number (DRN) system in Northern Ireland. The recommendations on voter ID have not been taken forward by the UK Government. 
• We worked to prepare voters, administrators and the wider electoral community for further changes resulting from the Elections Act, including providing guidance and resources around online absent vote applications and the extension of the overseas voter franchise. 
• With elections taking place across England in May 2024, the Commission ran its public awareness campaign to raise awareness of the voter ID requirement. This also launched in Wales for the first time, supporting awareness ahead of the Police and Crime Commissioner elections. 
• We worked with local councils and civil society organisations to support voters less likely to have an accepted form of ID, highlighting the availability of the free ID and encouraging them to apply in time. 
• We launched a new voter registration public awareness campaign, designed to respond to changes in the barriers to registration reported by voters in our research. This was supported by our Your Vote is Yours Alone campaign, which raises awareness of voter fraud and what voters can do about it. 
• We shared details with voters of the new accessibility rules, which mean voters with 
  disabilities have greater choice about who can accompany them in the polling 
  station, and more assistance available to them. 
• We extended our ‘youth voice’ work by building relationships with partners and youth organisations in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to ensure our work on registration and voting reflects the needs and views of young people.  Youth groups were consulted on key activity targeting young people, providing useful 
  insight and feedback. 
• Our work promoting political literacy amongst young people continued to increase. Over 440 schools signed 
  up to take part in Welcome to Your Vote Week in January, and we hosted an event with parliamentarians and young people in Westminster. 
• We continued to maintain contingency plans for unscheduled electoral events, including a UK parliamentary general election and a Northern Ireland Assembly election. 
• Published reports following the May elections, including an analysis of the continued implementation of voter ID.
  Sessions like this are important because otherwise you could turn 18 and not know how to vote. The conversations we’ve had today can help young people understand and get more interested in voting and elections. Student, 15, who took part in one of our school sessions
• Continued to drive up voter registration with our new look campaign ahead of May & July 2024 elections and evaluate its impact to ensure we are best supporting voters to take part. 
• Extend awareness of voter ID ahead of the May 2024 elections and the first UK general election with the requirement in place, by delivering a public awareness campaign highlighting the change and publicising the availability of free voter ID.

• Complement the campaigns using additional resources targeting groups we know are less likely to be registered and 
  who face other barriers to voting. These groups include people experiencing homelessness, people with learning 
  disabilities, Muslim women and Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities.
• Use a suite of tailored materials to help British voters overseas understand the changes to their franchise, and encourage those eligible to register to vote ahead of a general election. 
• Produce voter resources on new electoral processes, such as online absent voting and changes to the overseas franchise. Ensure these resources reach target audiences, seeking feedback from partner organisations.
• Ensure stakeholders are prepared for changes to voting processes from the Elections Act, through clear and accurate resources and guidance.
• Update and publish 500 voter-facing forms to comply with all the requirements of the Elections Act.
• Continue to share voter information ahead of a general election, including through work with the media and the Commission’s public information functions. 
• Increase understanding and participation among young people by running the next annual Welcome to Your Vote Week throughout the UK, increasing school and youth group sign-ups. 
• Encourage news organisations to use our online tools to provide election information and polling station finders directly to their readers and subscribers