The independent body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK
The independent body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK
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Our aim was for as many people as possible to be added to the electoral register, with specific targets set for the number of additions to the register during the campaign period.
We exceeded our additions targets for the campaign, with a total of 970,800 against a target of 606,100.
| Country | Additions to the register targets | Additions - results* | % of target achieved |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | 526,500 | 856,000 | 162% |
| Scotland | 48,500 | 57,000 | 116% |
| Wales | 26,500 | 45,000 | 167% |
| Northern Ireland | 4,600 | 12,800 | 278% |
| Total | 606,100 | 970,800 | 160% |
*Estimated number of people added to the register between 8 and 22 May. These figures are based on data provided by local authorities and the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland. They have been rounded to the nearest 1000 for Great Britain and the nearest hundred for Northern Ireland.
1.9million applications to register were submitted across Great Britain during our campaign period. However, not all of those who apply are ultimately added to the electoral register, because the person may be registered already, be ineligible or their identity cannot be verified.
The online registration system currently enables people to submit an application even if they are already on the electoral register and this increases the workload for staff processing these applications. We have recommended the Government improves the online system so that people can learn if they are already registered to vote and therefore don’t apply again. Until improvements are made we will continue to do what we can in our campaigns and across our communications channels to help people understand when they actually need to register and when they don’t.