- 29/01/2016
- Posted by: Mike Hedges MS
- Category: Uncategorized
NVRD 2016 : ‘ARE YOU REGISTERED?’
With one week to go, the United Kingdom prepares for its third annual National Voter Registration Drive (‘NVRD’).
MIKE HEDGES AM SUPPORTS ‘BITE THE BALLOT’ CAMPAIGN TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE ON THE ELECTORAL REGISTER
People may find it hard to access credit or Mobile Phone contracts because these companies check people’s address on the Electoral Register before allowing credit agreements. I would urge people not on the Electoral Register to register as soon as possible.’
Mike said… ‘I am happy to support this campaign; many people in Swansea East have dropped off the Electoral Register since the introduction of Individual Voter Registration. Swansea East has seen its electorate drop by over 1000 people. It is vital that these people re register now if they wish to exercise their vote in the May Assembly Elections.
People might reflect upon the sacrifices people have made for people to have the vote, especially the suffragettes who made such sacrifices for Women to have the Vote.
Bite The Ballot (‘BTB’) – in partnership with a host of collaborators – is coordinating a week of social action, calling on people to register to vote and begin to drive the political agenda by becoming active change makers.
February 2015 s aw BTB and Partners make history b,y leading the most successful registration drive (per capita) of any Western democracy. 4 41,696 people registered to vote
(9 0% online, 10% paper forms ) in just one week of community and online democratic action. Approximately
750,000 visited the GOV.uk portal during the campaign, and the conversion rate was 74% .
Over 1-7 February 2016, BTB and Partners will coordinate the UK’s third annual Drive to get people registered on the electoral roll. With over a million1 names falling off the electoral register in December 2015, over 100 national and local elections taking place in May – and an increasingly likely EU referendum -2016’s campaign couldn’t be more timely.
Michael Sani, BTB Chief Exec, said: “With as many as2 10 million people missing from the register, we’re excluding communities and young citizens from democracy. NVRD is a collaboration of determined individuals, using voter registration as one step in creating a society where every citizen is inspired and empowered to become a changemaker.” The aim of NVRD 2016 is to target people who are less likely to have ever been registered – as well as those who (are unaware they) may have recently fallen off the roll. Through online engagement and on-the-ground activities, NVRD will raise awareness about the benefits of being registered, and inspire people and communities to #TakePower and play a collective role in democratic decision-making.
BTB will be working with a cross-section of g rassroots, charity and not-for-profit organisations to deliver
NVRD, including:
– Graduates of T he Challenge NCS p rogrammes, who played ‘ The Basics’ and registered to vote during spring, summer and autumn residentials, will now facilitate the workshop in the heart of their communities.
– National Union of Teachers’ members will be running sessions of ‘ The Basics’ in schools, colleges and sixth forms across England and Wales.
– Centrepoint Parliament will be registering residents in Centrepoint accommodation by holdinginteractive democracy workshops.
– National Union of Students i s supporting member SUs through a coordinated social media campaign and the offer of funding to SUs to run voter registration rallies.
– Three Faiths Forum Parliamentors will be running voter registration stalls at universities to engage
multiple faith groups.
1 HOPE not hate , accessed 25/01/16.
2 Democratic Audit UK , accessed 25/01/2016.
Contact: 0330 113 8428 | [email protected]
Social: #TakePower | @BiteTheBallot | #NVRD
– Youth Community Support Agency will be registering young black and minority ethnic citizens in
Glasgow as part of their work supporting underrepresented groups.
– Projecting an image of #NVRD on to the National Assembly for Wales to launch the ‘ Wales2016’ campaign, including a session of ‘The Basics’ led by BTB Partner, Youth Cymru .
