Early Day Motion·EDM 1201

ELECTORAL REGISTRATION OF YOUNG PEOPLE

7 March 201639 Signatures

Primary sponsor

Dame Siobhain McDonagh

LabourMitcham and Morden

Motion Text

That this House notes that data released recently by the Office for National Statistics further exposes an electoral registration crisis in our democracy, particularly for 16 and 17 year-old attainers; further notes the success of the Chief Electoral Officer of Northern Ireland's Schools Initiative scheme in improving registration rates among young people; calls on the Government to roll out this scheme across Great Britain ahead of the EU referendum, local elections and elections to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly; and considers that automatic electoral registration is viable as a long-term solution to the UK's democratic deficit.