Labour likely to introduce automatic voter registration in electoral shake-up

Labour is expected to introduce automatic registration for voting under plans to add millions more people to the electoral roll for future elections, especially young people, the Guardian has learned.

- Peter Walker

Automatic voter registration (AVR), which exists in several European countries, would come on top of planned changes already announced by Keir Starmer's party, such as extending votes to 16- and 17-year-olds.

Together, they could significantly shake up the voting franchise if Labour gets into power next week.

Currently, people in Britain need to proactively register where they live if they are to vote. Under automatic registration, the electoral roll is compiled from other records - such as those linked to tax or passports with people added by default.

An estimated 7 to 8 million people are missing or incorrectly recorded on current registers, many of them young, as well as a disproportionate number who are poorer or who live in privately rented homes.

Younger people tend to be more likely to support Labour, raising the possibility that automatic registration would boost the party.

Labour's manifesto says it will "improve voter registration", with the party refusing to elaborate further. But electoral officials told the Guardian the reference is a commitment to work towards automatic registration across the UK.

The Labour government in Wales has already committed to trialling the change there as a way of working out the best way for it to operate.