£247,000 – to make elections secure

COUNCILS across Cheshire have been given £247,033 to help pay for a ground-breaking change that will make the Electoral Register more accurate and secure.
The Government has given the money to help local authorities with the extra costs involved with switching to Individual Electoral Registration, which up to this point were funded through existing electoral budgets.
A national formula has been used to calculate what each area needs to cover the cost of the data matching process that will ensure the vast majority of the population will transfer automatically onto the
new electoral register.
It will also cover other costs such as writing to people to tell them they will need to register.
Warrington will receive £31,946
This is all part of the Government’s drive to improve public confidence in elections and, along with the introduction of online registration, make the process of registering to vote easier and more convenient.
Greg Clark, Minister for Cities and the Constitution, said:
“We are on track to modernise electoral registration to tackle electoral fraud and increase public trust in elections – a trust which is at the heart of our democracy.
“Next year’s switch to individual electoral registration can only be achieved by central and local government across the North West working together, and the funding is the latest step in this process to make sure our electoral register is as complete and accurate as it can be.”
The new system of registering to vote will mean an end to the current forms, where the “head of the household” fills in the names of everyone eligible to vote. Next summer everyone will take individual
responsibility for registering and online registration will be available, making registration more secure and convenient.