High satisfaction with electoral processes

New research published by the Electoral Commission has found that the public are satisfied with the way elections are run and are keen for further reform.

Following the successful introduction of online registration in Great Britain in 2014, the commission found a strong appetite within 18-34 year olds for further change, with many supporting the idea of automatically registering electors when they are issued with National Insurance numbers.

Voting in 2017 is based on surveys with over 6,000 members of the public following the polls that took place in 2017, as well as on other insights from data gathered in relation to the 2017 polls. The report confirms higher turnouts at nearly all the polls in 2017, although local elections continue to lag well behind.

Looking at the General Election, the Electoral Commission found that 79 per cent felt the election was well run and believe that voting is safe from fraud and abuse.

John Holmes, chair of the Electoral Commission, said: “Online voter registration has shown people how digital tools can transform this public service. Our public opinion research reveals an appetite to push further, to make connections with other public services. Linking voter registration to National Insurance numbers would help increase levels of registration and also save time and resources.”