The way we vote will be drastically improved next year as Greater Manchester has been given more than £1million to ensure the current system is more accurate and secure.
The Government grant will ensure that the vast majority of residents will transfer onto the new Individual Electoral Registration which will improve public confidence in elections and make the process of voting easier.
Previously it would be the ‘head of household’s’ responsibility to register each person on the electoral role but from next year the new system would make the individual have to register themselves.
Manchester has been given the largest amount of money at £324,699 followed by Bolton with £134,857 and Salford with £113,141.
Bury, Oldham, Rochdale and Stockport have been given £48,401, £79,025, £81,001 and £77,715 respectively.
Other boroughs include Tameside with £57,255, Trafford with £86,076 and Wigan at £72,952.
Greg Clark, Minister for Cities and the Constitution, said: “We are on track to modernise electoral registration to tackle electoral fraud and increase public trust in elections – a trust which is at the heart of our democracy.
“Next year’s switch to individual electoral registration can only be achieved by central and local government across the North West working together, and the funding announced today is the latest step in this process to make sure our electoral register is as complete and accurate as it can be.”
The money comes as a welcome to Greater Manchester authorities who have been developing tests for the last three years to perfect the new voting systems.
A dry run of the system carried out across the country over the summer suggested that an average of 78% of people will be on the electoral roll automatically, without needing to register.
Image courtesy of Secretlondon123 via Flickr, with thanks.
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