WITH the Assembly election just a few short months away, councils across Wales are to be handed a share of £330,000 to help increase the number of voters on the electoral role.
The Welsh Government’s public services minister Leighton Andrews announced the funding, which will allow authorities to write to every home in their area reminding residents to check their electoral register information.
Mr Andrews said: “I met with the Electoral Commission this week, and discussed ways to increase voter participation.
“This has been a time of pressure with the new system of Individual Electoral Registration and I know that Electoral Registration Officers are working hard to produce accurate registers.
“This funding will help them do that.
“Students are under represented in registering and voting, which is why I have also agreed to fund the National Union of Students (Wales) to develop a web-based tool to provide information on registering to vote and locating your polling station.
“I have urged registration officers to assist with this.”
Individual voter registration means every person in a household is responsible for ensuring they are on the electoral role. Previously this could be done by one person on behalf of everyone living in their house.
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