Three weeks left to register for May elections

Emily Thornberry MP, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Cllr Catherine West and the Electoral Commission remind voters to register by 13 March for local elections in May.

Islington MPs remind voters of 13 March registration deadline

Voters in Islington have until 13 March – just three weeks – to register so that they can vote for their local council representatives at elections on 4 May 2006. 

With the registration deadline looming, Islington MPs Emily Thornberry and Jeremy Corbyn and Cllr Catherine West today helped the Electoral Commission launch a campaign urging all those people who are eligible to vote to make sure they are on the electoral register (see photograph: “Emily Thornberry MP, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Cllr Catherine West and the Electoral Commission remind voters to register by 13 March for local elections in May").

Names can be added later to the electoral register on a monthly basis but anyone not registered to vote by 13 March will not be able to vote in the 4 May local elections. An online electoral registration form can be downloaded from www.aboutmyvote.co.uk 

Emily Thornberry, Labour MP for Islington South and Finsbury, said ‘It’s extremely worrying that only 67% have registered for Islington’s May council elections as voting is the only way to have your voice heard’.

Peter Wardle, Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission, said, “Many people assume that they’ll be automatically registered, but that isn’t the case. So if you haven’t already received and returned a registration form from your local council, download one at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk

Politics affects every aspect of our lives, from rubbish collection and road safety to education and care for the elderly. We want to remind people in Islington that they must be registered by 13 March so they don’t lose their right to vote.”

A recent report by the Electoral Commission found that up to 3.7 million people in England and Wales, between 8-9% of the eligible population, did not register to vote in 2000.

You can find out more about elections in your area by going to www.aboutmyvote.co.uk or by contacting your local council to check whether you are registered.

Notes to editors

1. The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. Our mission is to foster public confidence and participation by promoting integrity, involvement and effectiveness in the democratic process.
2. On 4 May 2006, there will be over 170 local government elections, including Metropolitan District Councils and London Boroughs Council Elections.

Advice on how to register and vote
• First of all, check you’re registered to vote. You can’t vote if you’re not registered, and contrary to popular belief, you won’t be automatically registered even if you pay council tax. If you haven’t already received and returned a form from your local council this year, download one at www.aboutmyvote.co.uk.
• If you are not sure if there are elections in your local area in 2006, go to www.aboutmyvote.co.uk to check by simply entering your postcode.
• Don’t leave it too late to register. For the local elections on 4 May 2006, the registration deadline is 13 March 2006.
• Once you’re registered, and you’ve decided who you wish to support, you’re ready to vote either in person at your local polling station or by post or proxy.