Students in halls are falling off voting registers

Reforms to the way in which people register to vote means that up to one million votes from young people could be lost in this May’s general election, votes which are potentially decisive in marginal constituencies.

Recent changes mean that voters must register themselves individually. Therefore, students who live in halls of residences will no longer be block registered under one ‘head of household’ as in previous elections. According to the Electoral Commission, 30 percent of 18-24 year olds have been left unregistered as a result of this.

There are fears that this decrease in voter numbers, combined with increasing apathy towards British politics is harming democracy.

Natalie Bennett, leader of the Green Party said: “There’s a danger that we could see significant numbers of people turning up to vote on May 7 and finding that they have been disenfranchised by not being registered.

“That would be seriously damaging to our democracy. Everyone in politics has a responsibility to make sure voters can have their say.”

Furthermore, new research has indicated that the plunge in the number of students registered to vote will have a profound impact on election results in university towns. The reforms have left some universities with a near 90 percent drop in student voters, which is sure to impact negatively on parties who draw from a younger demographic.

Nick Lowles from Hope Not Hate has moved to highlight how just how crucial the changes might prove to be, saying: “The drop-off is concentrated in many of the key seats that will determine the outcome of the election.”

In order to combat the problem, the Electoral Commission, the National Union of Students, the Association of Colleges and Universities UK have joined forces. They have written to universities and colleges, urging them to do more to increase student registration.

Among their recommendations are emailing students to let them know they can register online, holding registration drives in seminars and displaying posters in university buildings.

In spite of this, Mr Lowles, feels that not enough is being done to promote registration, he said: “It is clear that not enough is being done to get these lost voters back.

“It should be incumbent on the government to maximise voter registration, which after all is the life blood of any democracy.”