ADD2399 London Voter Registration Week 2020

Civic participation is a key pillar of social integration. The Mayor has made a high-level commitment to supporting increased democratic engagement. In March 2019, MD2447 approved expenditure for a voter registration pilot project.

The Electoral Commission report into the state of the December 2018 electoral registers shows that London continues to have the lowest voter registration rates across the UK regions and nations. Not being registered to vote has significant consequences, such as not being able to be selected for jury service and increased difficulties in gaining a credit rating.

The Survey of Londoners has shown that one in three 16 – 24-year-old Londoners are not registered to vote, compared with 97% of 65+ year olds who are. Other under-registered groups are Londoners from a black ethnic background (83% registered, compared to 94% of White British Londoners) and social and private renters (85% and 86% registered, respectively, compared with 93% of owner-occupiers).

In September 2019, the GLA worked with statutory bodies, education and third sector organisations on a pilot programme aimed to reduce inequalities in voter registration among young Londoners, in particular.

To collaborate, coordinate and support this work, the GLA established the London Voter Registration Strategic Partnership (LVRSP). The GLA invited representatives from local authorities’ electoral services, the Association of Electoral Administrators, the Electoral Commission, education institutions and youth organisations to form an advisory group to inform and advise the GLA on its 2019 voter registration activities. The LVRSP was designed as a long-term strategic partnership that would enable the GLA to maintain close working relationships with statutory bodies, London Councils and civil society on these issues. The LVRSP acted as a conduit for sharing best practice, reviewing LVRW 2019 assets, supporting the delivery of LVRW and its evaluation, especially testing and learning from new approaches to tackle voter registration inequality and thus inform any future GLA work in this area.

LVRW 2019 launched on 15 September (International Democracy Day). Daily online and offline activity took place between 16 and 22 September in over 20 boroughs with the support of HOPE not hate Charitable Trust (the delivery partner), members of the LVRSP and a broad civil society coalition of support.

Through a combination of online campaigning and on-the-ground voter registration drives on college and university campuses and in places of worship, targeted digital assets, and a LVRW Hub hosting digital, video, print and educational resources, including a “Take Your Place” democracy lesson plan, the pilot managed to engage:

• 25,000 Londoners via voter registration drives;
• 60,000 Londoners via voter registration packs;
• 1.3 million Londoners via the online campaign;
• Cross -party support, with 13 London boroughs, the London Assembly and individual London Youth Assembly members supporting LVRW; and
• 40 organisations and community groups joining the coalition of support and reinforcing the non-partisan, impartial, non-election specific nature of the project.

Objectives:

This ADD seeks approval to commission a partner to take forward recommendations from LVRW 2019 and to start planning LVRW 2020 (which will be held in September 2020). The objectives for this first phase of work are:

• to build on the lessons learned from LVRW 2019; and
• to start designing assets and planning for LVRW 2020.

This will enable us to deliver our broader objectives for LVRW 2020 (which will be held in September 2020) which include:

• to engage Londoners via offline voter registration drives;
• to engage Londoners via voter registration packs; and
• to engage Londoners via an online campaign.

Expected outcomes:

The expected outcomes for this first phase of work are:

• to enlarge the membership of the LVRSP; and
• to have a larger coalition of support and new resources for LVRW 2020.

The expected outcomes of LVRW 2020 (which will be held in September 2020) include: • to increase voter registration rates among under-registered and seldom-heard groups, particularly young people, private renters, Black and ethnic minority Londoners.

Under the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) in section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, as a public authority, the Mayor and GLA must have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation, and any conduct that is prohibited by or under that Act; and to advance equality of opportunity and foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not. Protected characteristics under the Equality Act are age, disability, gender reassignment pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, and marriage or civil partnership status (the duty in respect of this last characteristic is to eliminate unlawful discrimination only). Compliance with the Act may involve, in particular, removing or minimising any disadvantage suffered by those who share a relevant protected characteristic, taking steps to meet the needs of such people; and encouraging them to participate in public life, or in any other activity where their participation is disproportionately low, including tackling prejudice and promoting understanding. In limited circumstances it may require treating people with a protected characteristic more favourably than those without the characteristic. The equalities considerations should specifically relate to the decision.

The voter registration project has a focus on tackling inequalities and barriers to civic participation among groups of Londoners who are currently less likely to be engaged, many of whom share protected characteristics and therefore reflects the requirements of the PSED regarding removing or minimising disadvantage and encouraging participation in public life.

Key risks and issues

Links to Mayoral strategies and priorities

This pilot project is key to delivering on the high-level objective made in the Mayor’s Social Integration Strategy, All of Us, to “equip more Londoners to participate in democratic processes.”. It builds on the commitments set out in the Mayor’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, focusing on addressing the inequalities and barriers that are particularly detrimental to civic participation across London, but especially among young Londoners, and require specific interventions.

Consultation

1. Since August 2017, the GLA has been running an extensive engagement with a diverse range of stakeholders, from civil society organisations, electoral administrators and the Electoral Commission.
3. An evaluation report has been produced into LVRW 2019, containing a quantitative analysis of Cabinet Office data and a qualitative analysis of feedback from the delivery partner, LVRSP members and other coalition partners.
5. The project for LVRW 2020 reflects these discussions and the lessons learned from the September 2019 pilot project.

Approval is being sought for expenditure of £40,000 towards the London Voter Registration Week 2020.

The £40,000 expenditure will be funded from reallocated Citizenship and Integration Initiative budget (£30,000) and Voter Registration budget (£10,000). Both budgets are held within the 2019-20 Social Integration Programme Budget.

The GLA may do anything that promotes the social improvement of Greater London, which may include increasing the awareness and participations of the electorate in elections generally, including through increased voter registration rates particularly among under-registered and hard to reach communities.

Electoral law gives specific statutory responsibilities for voter registration and education about the elections to electoral registration officers (EROs) in the boroughs and the Electoral Commission. Section 31 of the GLA Act 1999 prevents the GLA from incurring expenditure in directly providing educational services. However, promoting participation in the electoral process furthers social cohesion and promotes social improvement and s 31(6) of the Act allows the Mayor to undertake activities, including those that involve GLA expenditure, that foster co-operation with, or facilitate or coordinate the activities of, such other bodies.

The GLA can promote voter registration in line with sections 30 and 31 (6) of the GLA Act 1999 but must clearly frame any such activities within the context of co-ordinating with the borough Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) and the Electoral Commission’s planned activities.

Establishing a London Voter Registration Partnership including key stakeholders such as EROs, local authorities and the Electoral Commission to provide guidance and advice and avoid duplication of activity and underline the non-partisan support for the project, is consistent with sections 30 and 31(6), as is encouraging people to register to vote, including activities directed at particular areas or groups (where under-registered areas and under-represented groups) .

The GLA’s activities in this area must, at all times, be apolitical and not be, or be perceived to be, associated with the promotion of any political party or individual politician; they must also be kept distinct from the functions of the Greater London Returning Officer, whose actual and perceived impartiality is vital, and who has no role in respect of voter registration.

It is unlawful for GLA funds or resources to be used to promote any candidate or political party and any GLA funded publications must comply with that restriction and the Code of Practice on Local Government Publicity.

Legal advice was sought throughout the design and delivery phases of LVRW 2019 and will continue to be sought for any activity around LVRW 2020. Regard should be had to the GLA’s pre-election period guidance for the May 2020 GLA elections, which starts on 23 March 2020, and its guidance on the use of resources. Materials will be reviewed to ensure compliance with legal requirements.