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London unites for the sixth London Voter Registration Week

By Dr Elisabeth Pop, GLA Principal Officer, Democratic Participation | 24th September 2024
A hand holding a megaphone with sound waves coming out of it with the London Skyline in the background. The text states “Get ready for London Voter Registration Week 16-22 September 2024. Register to vote and have your voice heard. To find out more go to https://registertovote.london/.” Digital imprint states: Supported by the Greater London Authority, City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, London E16 1ZE. Printed and promoted by Shout Out UK, 240 Portobello Road, London, W11 1LL.
  • The Greater London Authority (GLA) has launched the sixth annual London Voter Registration Week to help under-represented and under-registered Londoners access their democratic rights
  • Boroughs, civil society organisations and education institutions are supporting the campaign which is also raising awareness of photo Voter ID and changes to the voting rights of some EU Londoners
  • London still has one of lowest levels of voter registration in England
  • Since the launch of the GLA Voter ID public awareness campaign, there has been a 60 percentage points increase in photo Voter ID awareness (from August 2022 to July 2024)

The Greater London Authority (GLA) has launched the sixth annual London Voter Registration Week to help under-represented and under-registered Londoners access their right to vote.

The GLA, Shout Out UK, local councils, civil society organisations and education institutions across the capital have joined together to support this annual voter registration campaign which is designed to address gaps in voter registration levels and the ongoing impact of the Elections Act (2022), especially the introduction of mandatory photo Voter ID and changes to the voting rights of some EU Londoners. GLA and Electoral Commission research shows that under-registered and under-represented communities are less likely to be aware of the photo Voter ID requirement or possess an accepted form of photo Voter ID.

Taking place between 16 and 22 September, London Voter Registration Week (LVRW) 2024 coincides with the annual canvass – boroughs writing to addresses across the capital to check the electoral register is correct. LVRW 2024 raises awareness about who can register to vote and how to do it, including recent changes to the voting rights of some EU Londoners, and details on how to register anonymously or if an eligible individual does not have a fixed address.

The GLA campaign uses social media, community engagement and events in education institutions to reach Londoners. It includes accessible materials for Deaf and disabled Londoners, with resources available in Easy Read format and 16 community languages, including British Sign Language. Londoners will also have access to the GLA Democracy WhatsApp chatbot (+44 7908 820136) and a newly launched #NoVoteNoVoice WhatsApp channel that will help them navigate the voting changes, answer frequently asked questions, and point to GLA Political Literacy resources.

The collective action comes as figures show London still has lower voter registration rates compared with the rest of England, despite seeing the highest increase in rates among different types of local authority area [1], since the launch of LVRW in 2019.

Three in 10 young Londoners (aged 16-24) are not registered to vote [2], with young Londoners, alongside Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and migrant Londoners, including Commonwealth and EU Londoners, and social and private renters, the most under-registered and under-represented groups [3]. Many of these Londoners are also Deaf and disabled and on low incomes.

LVRW 2024 is a key milestone in phase three of the wider GLA Voter ID public awareness campaign which is raising awareness about the accepted forms of photo Voter ID; how to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate if an eligible Londoner does not have any photo ID to vote; changes to applications for postal and proxy voting; types of voting and more.

Since the launch of the GLA Voter ID public awareness campaign, the GLA and its coalition have achieved:

  • A 60-percentage point increase in awareness of the introduction of photo Voter ID, to 93 per cent [4]. Black Londoners (83 per cent), Londoners aged under 25 (86 per cent) and Londoners earning under £20,000 (90 per cent) remain less likely to be aware.
  • 6.05m London adults (18 and over) reached via the paid Voter ID marketing and communication activity. 
  • Over 190,000 under-registered and under-represented Londoners directly reached by the GLA community grantees through varied activity [5].  

Matteo Bergamini MBE, CEO/ Founder, Shout Out UK:  “As we gear up for the sixth annual London Voter Registration Week, I am thrilled to once more be a part of our city’s collective effort to empower every Londoner to fully engage in our democracy. Throughout the years, we, at Shout Out UK, have been working with the Greater London Authority to provide updated resources and the support needed to ensure that every single voice is heard and that our democratic process remains vibrant and inclusive. This year’s focus on post-election engagement is crucial as we continue to adapt to the changes brought by the Elections Act (2022) – after all democracy doesn’t end at the ballot box, it starts there. So, join us on London Voter Registration Week and beyond to promote civic and democratic engagement across London! #NoVoteNoVoice”

Phil Stevens, CEO, Disability Action Haringey: “At Disability Action Haringey, we believe the annual pan-London activity is a crucial initiative for promoting inclusivity and ensuring that every voice, particularly those of D/deaf and disabled individuals, is heard and that they are fully informed about civic and democratic processes. This coordinated effort is essential in dismantling the barriers many face in accessing and participating meaningfully in democratic life. Only through a unified and impartial approach can we create a truly inclusive society, where everyone can actively engage in shaping the future of not just of our great city, but country.”

Ian Howley, Chief Executive, LGBT HERO: “LGBT HERO is proud to support London Voter Registration Week 2024. This initiative is vital to ensuring that all Londoners, especially under-represented and marginalised communities, have their voices heard and their right to vote recognised. For the LGBTQ+ community, civic engagement is especially important, as our rights and freedoms are shaped by those in power. By addressing the unique barriers our community faces in accessing democratic participation, we aim to ensure that LGBTQ+ voices are counted. Together, we can help create a more inclusive, equal society for all.”

Laura Pearcey, Associate Director of LaSWAP Sixth Form Consortium, Pathways and Progress Leader: “It is more important than ever that young people feel like they are both a part of and can impact the democratic process. LVRW does a brilliant job of demystifying voting, bringing information directly into schools to not only help students register to vote, but also understand that their voice matters and give them the tools to take part.”

Anthony Robinson, Head of Learner Experience and Industry Placements, College of Haringey, Enfield and North East London: “London Voter Registration Week is an outstanding initiative that not only raises awareness about the importance of voting, but also empowers our students with the knowledge and tools they need to actively participate in the democratic process. By learning how to register and understanding the impact their vote can have, students are better equipped to engage as informed citizens and contribute to shaping the future of their communities.”

To find out more about the GLA Democratic Participation programme and access all the resources produced, including for London Voter Registration Week 2024 and for the ongoing Voter ID public awareness campaign, please visit the GLA Democracy Hub at registertovote.london 

Borough electoral services are currently reviewing the voting rights eligibility of all EU citizens and sending letters or emails asking some of them to provide further evidence of this ongoing eligibility. EU Londoners are likely to remain eligible to register to vote if they are a citizen from Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal and Spain (countries with whom the UK currently holds bilateral treaties) and a lawful resident in the UK. Or if they are citizen of any other EU country and have been legally resident in the UK since before the UK left the EU on 31 December 2020.

On September 10, the Electoral Commission published its report into the impact of photo Voter ID at the 2024 UK general election [6]. It found that:

  • immediately after the general election, 87 per cent of people in Great Britain were aware that they needed to show photo ID to vote at a polling station.
  • 4 per cent of the people surveyed who said they did not vote at the general election gave an unprompted reason related to the ID rules. When people who didn’t vote were asked to choose from a list of reasons, the proportion of people giving an ID-related reason rose to 10 per cent.
  • The impact of the voter ID requirement was not uniform, because some people are less likely to have accepted photo ID and some people are less likely to be aware of the need to show ID when voting in person.

The polling commissioned by the GLA and carried out by YouGov [4] shows that:

  • Since tracking began in August 2022, there’s been a 60-percentage point increase in photo Voter ID awareness in London (from August 2022 to July 2024).
  • 93 per cent of Londoners surveyed after the general election are aware of the requirement. This is made up of 86 per cent who are aware of the requirement and accepted forms of photo Voter ID and 7 per cent who are aware of the requirement but not of the accepted forms of photo Voter ID.
  • White Londoners are still most likely to be aware (96 per cent), compared with Black Londoners (83 per cent), Asian, Mixed and Other Londoners (91 per cent).
  • UK-born Londoners continue to be more aware (94 per cent), than EU/ EEA Londoners (91 per cent) and Londoners born in the rest of the world (90 percent).
  • Londoners aged 65+ (99 per cent) are significantly more likely to be aware than those aged under 25 (86 per cent), made up of 72 per cent who are aware of the requirement and accepted forms of photo Voter ID and 14 per cent who are aware of the requirement but not of the accepted forms of photo Voter ID.
  • Those with a gross household income of £70,000 and over per year (96 per cent) are still more likely to be aware than those with under £20,000 (90 per cent)
  • 95 percent of those surveyed claim to own an accepted form of photo Voter ID. But Black Londoners (90 per cent) and those aged under 25 (86 per cent) continue to be least likely to hold an approved ID.
  • A third of Londoners (32 per cent) now claim to have heard of Voter Authority Certificate, but uptake of it remains low, with just 2 per cent of Londoners holding this form of photo Voter ID.
  • Less than half of Londoners are aware of changes to renewing applications for postal voting (45 per cent) and less than one third (30 per cent) are aware of changes to applications for proxy voting.

[1] “In England, among different types of local authority area, the most notable change in completeness has been among London boroughs with an increase from 76 per cent in 2018 to 82 per cent in 2022”. Electoral Commission, 2023 report: Electoral registers in the UK www.electoralcommission.org.uk/research-reports-and-data/electoral-registration-research/accuracy-and-completeness-electoral-registers/2023-report-electoral-registers-uk

[2] 70 per cent of 16-24-year-old Londoners are registered to vote, compared with 96 per cent of Londoners aged 65 and over. GLA, Survey of Londoners 2021-22, September 2022 https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/survey-of-londoners-2021-22

[3] 82 per cent of Londoners from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background are registered, compared to 95 per cent of White British Londoners. 81 per cent of non-UK born Londoners are registered, compared to 91 per cent of UK-born Londoners. 88 per cent of social renters and 81 per cent of private renters are registered to vote, compared with 94 per cent of homeowners – occupiers. GLA, Survey of Londoners 2021-22, September 2022 https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/survey-of-londoners-2021-22

[4] This survey was carried out online by YouGov for the GLA between 19th to the 26th July 2024, with a response of 1,080 London residents aged 18+, including a 523 ethnic minority sample boost. The figures have been weighted to be representative of all London adults. https://data.london.gov.uk/gla-opinion-research/press-releases/

[5] For more details check the GLA Evaluation Report: London Voter Registration Week 2023 and GLA Voter ID public awareness campaign – phase two (June 2023 – February 2024) registertovote.london

[6] Voter ID at the 2024 UK general election. Electoral Commission, September 2024. www.electoralcommission.org.uk/research-reports-and-data/our-reports-and-data-past-elections-and-referendums/voter-id-2024-uk-general-election