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Individual Voter Registration
07/09/2009
Parliamentary Business Minister Bruce Crawford and Scotland Office minister Ann McKechin are in Belfast today to see how Northern Ireland has moved away from the system of household registration to individual voter registration.
On what will be the first joint fact-finding visit by the UK and Scottish governments, Northern Ireland minister Paul Goggins and electoral professionals in Northern Ireland will share their experience of a system that is soon to be followed in other parts of the UK, including Scotland.
The Political Parties and Elections Act 2009 provides for a voluntary system of individual electoral registration in Britain from July 2010 and for it to be compulsory in 2015, subject to conditions.
Ms McKechin said:
"It's vital for all of us that as many people in Scotland as possible are encouraged to participate in our democratic process. Both the UK Government and the Scottish Government have an interest in ensuring that all those eligible are registered to vote and that their vote is both valid and secure, and it's a real bonus that we're able to go to learn from the Northern Irish system ahead of the introduction of individual registration in Scotland."
Mr Crawford said:
"The introduction of individual registration will present us with logistical and other challenges as we move away from the current system of household registration but will also provide us with opportunities.
"We all want to see an increase in turnout at elections and public participation in general and we need to increase our efforts in this area. An accurate, up to date and comprehensive voting register based on individual returns will play an important role in this. We should do all that we can to ensure that people register to vote and then use their vote.
"It is highly encouraging that a MP and a MSP are able to make a fact-finding visit together. Improving voter turnout is something that both administrations are committed to."
Individual registration will replace the current system of household registration and will require all voters to register individually.
The benefit of individual registration is in delivering a more secure system of registration than at present by allowing a third party check of the information supplied on registration against the National Insurance Number (NINO) database. The Electoral Commission has always supported a move to individual registration.
Research carried out by the Committee on Standards in Public Life (CSPL) in 2008 found that nearly two thirds (63 per cent) of respondents thought that the individual registration system used in Northern Ireland was preferable to the current household registration used in Great Britain.
The Scottish Government has responsibility for local government elections in Scotland while the UK Government has responsibility for UK elections and Scottish Parliamentary Elections.