STOCKTON-ON-TEES Borough Council is urging residents, especially young people aged 16 to 24, to make sure they are registered to vote as part of a national campaign.
Organised by ‘Bite the Ballot’, National Voter Registration Week is on 1 to 7 February. It aims to ensure that young people are politically informed, engaged, and registered to vote.
The Council is working with local schools, academies and colleges to promote National Voter Registration Week to students aged 16 or over.
This year, the Police and Crime Commissioner Elections will take place on 5 May but many people will not be able to cast their vote because they are not registered.
Leader of Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Councillor Bob Cook, said: “National Voter Registration Week is a great way to encourage young people to make sure their voice is heard.
“There are 7.4 million 16 to 24 year olds in the UK but it is estimated that about 50 per cent of them are not on the electoral register. Registration allows you to vote in local, national and European elections so it’s vitally important that people don’t leave it too late to register and risk missing the opportunity to have their say.
“I hope lots of our local young people will take advantage of the easy online or telephone registration service to make sure they are able to vote.”
Residents can register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote or by phoning the Voter Registration Helpline on 01642 526196.
Registering online only takes about three minutes. People will need to provide their date of birth and National Insurance number. The service is compatible with all platforms, including smartphones and tablets.
For more information visit www.gov.uk/yourvotematters or email electoral@stockton.gov.uk