Agenda item

Motion Submitted by the Labour Group - Voter Registration and Transition to Individual Electoral Registration

 

Council welcomes:

 

·              The Electoral Commission’s warning that there is “a risk that a considerable number of eligible voters could be removed from the registers before the significant set of polls scheduled for May 2016 if the transition to IER is brought forward.”

 

·              The Electoral Commission’s recommendation that the end of these transitional arrangements before IER is fully implemented “should remain December 2016 as stated in law and should not be brought forward to December 2015”.

 

Council resolves:

 

To take every possible step to ensure that as many local residents as possible are registered to vote including, but not limited to, the following:

 

-       Fully analysing the last annual household canvass and comparing the results on a ward by ward basis to the previous year’s canvass.

 

-       Maintaining a database of electors who have confirmed their electoral registration details via the “No Change” method and using this database to ensure people who have been previously registered but haven’t been re-registered are contacted.

 

-       Using all available council-held databases to ensure that as many electors as possible are data-matched for electoral registration purposes.

 

-       Using all available methods of communication to explain the transition to IER to local residents.

 

-       Prompting local residents with electoral registration reminders at other points of contact with the council, such as when residents apply for Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and other council services.

 

-       Liaising with local private sector landlords to ensure electoral registration information is included in tenancy packs and other communications they have with their tenants.

 

-       Having council officers attend citizenship ceremonies and local schools and colleges to encourage newly eligible electors to register to vote at the earliest opportunity.

Minutes:

It was moved and seconded that:

 

Council welcomes:

 

·          The Electoral Commission’s warning that there is ‘a risk that a considerable number of eligible voters could be removed from the registers before the significant set of polls scheduled for May 2016 if the transition to IER is brought forward.’

 

·          The Electoral Commission’s recommendation that the end of these transitional arrangements before IER is fully implemented ‘should remain December 2016 as stated in law and should not be brought forward to December 2015’.

 

Council resolves:

 

To take every possible step to ensure that as many local residents as possible are registered to vote including, but not limited to, the following:

 

-       Fully analysing the last annual household canvass and comparing the results on a ward by ward basis to the previous year’s canvass.

 

-       Maintaining a database of electors who have confirmed their electoral registration details via the “No Change” method and using this database to ensure people who have been previously registered but haven’t been re-registered are contacted.

 

-       Using all available council-held databases to ensure that as many electors as possible are data-matched for electoral registration purposes.

 

-       Using all available methods of communication to explain the transition to IER to local residents.

 

-       Prompting local residents with electoral registration reminders at other points of contact with the council, such as when residents apply for Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and other council services.

 

-       Liaising with local private sector landlords to ensure electoral registration information is included in tenancy packs and other communications they have with their tenants.

 

-       Having council officers attend citizenship ceremonies and local schools and colleges to encourage newly eligible electors to register to vote at the earliest opportunity.”

 

It was moved and seconded as an amendment that:

 

        “Council notes the hard work undertaken by the Electoral Service Officers in carrying out the updating of the Electoral Register for individual registration.

 

        Over the last six months they have conducted a campaign of canvasing both physically and by letter to ensure no qualified elector will be deleted from the register but at the same time duplicate entries and those who have left Trafford are removed.

 

        In addition, Council acknowledges that the House of Lords debated the issue on the 27 October 2015 and voted to proceed with the timeframe outlined by Government.

 

        Council therefore resolves:

 

To continue to take every possible step to ensure that as many local residents as possible are registered to vote including, but not limited to, the following:

 

-       Fully analysing the last annual household canvass and comparing the results on a ward by ward basis to the previous year’s canvass.

 

-       Maintaining a database of electors who have confirmed their electoral registration details via the “No Change” method, and using this database to ensure people who have been previously registered but haven’t been re-registered are contacted.

 

-       Using all available council-held databases to ensure that as many electors as possible are data-matched for electoral registration purposes.

 

-       Using all available methods of communication to explain the transition to IER to local residents.

 

-       Prompting local residents with electoral registration reminders at other points of contact with the council, such as when residents apply for Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and other council services.

 

-       Liaising with local landlords to seek to ensure electoral registration information is included in tenancy packs and other communications they have with their tenants.

 

-       Ensuring citizenship ceremonies incorporate into their programme the importance of voting and the process to register to vote.

 

The Council welcomes the positive benefits of IER being introduced to preserve the integrity of the register.”

 

During the debate on the amendment, the mover and seconder, with the consent of the meeting, proposed an alteration to the amendment that the statement regarding citizenship ceremonies from the original motion be reinstated and as a consequence the related wording proposed in the amendment be deleted.

 

The amendment, as altered was put to the vote and declared carried. The substantive Motion was then put to the vote and declared carried.

 

        RESOLVED: That Council notes the hard work undertaken by the Electoral Service Officers in carrying out the updating of the Electoral Register for individual registration.

 

        Over the last six months they have conducted a campaign of canvasing both physically and by letter to ensure no qualified elector will be deleted from the register but at the same time duplicate entries and those who have left Trafford are removed.

 

        In addition, Council acknowledges that the House of Lords debated the issue on the 27 October 2015 and voted to proceed with the timeframe outlined by Government.

 

        Council therefore resolves:

 

To continue to take every possible step to ensure that as many local residents as possible are registered to vote including, but not limited to, the following:

 

-       Fully analysing the last annual household canvass and comparing the results on a ward by ward basis to the previous year’s canvass.

 

-       Maintaining a database of electors who have confirmed their electoral registration details via the “No Change” method, and using this database to ensure people who have been previously registered but haven’t been re-registered are contacted.

 

-       Using all available council-held databases to ensure that as many electors as possible are data-matched for electoral registration purposes.

 

-       Using all available methods of communication to explain the transition to IER to local residents.

 

-       Prompting local residents with electoral registration reminders at other points of contact with the council, such as when residents apply for Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and other council services.

 

-       Liaising with local landlords to seek to ensure electoral registration information is included in tenancy packs and other communications they have with their tenants.

 

-       Having council officers attend citizenship ceremonies and local schools and colleges to encourage newly eligible electors to register to vote at the earliest opportunity.

 

The Council welcomes the positive benefits of IER being introduced to preserve the integrity of the register.