WIREDGOV

Blog posted by:Tasmin Maitland, 25 April 2017.

With low levels of voter registration among people who are homeless, and a deadline of 22nd May to register for the General Election; can homelessness services increase democratic engagement in time to make a difference? 

Here are six key lessons from our Your Vote Matters project:

1. You don’t need an address to register

People who are sleeping rough, or otherwise without an address, can complete a form called ‘Register to vote: No fixed or permanent address’. Find them here for each country.

2. People worry about how their information will be used

There’s a common perception that registering to vote means personal information will be shared and lead to problems, like being chased for old debts. Our factsheet explains how data is used, and how to stay off the open/edited register. People with safety concerns can apply to be registered anonymously (evidence is needed).

3. It’s a good idea to invite politicians to homelessness services

We were impressed by how many candidates visited homelessness services during Your Vote Matters in 2015, even when there was a short lead-in time. Feedback from these visits was excellent, with conversations or Q&A increasing engagement and understanding on both sides.

“I usually feel totally ignored, so talking to the politicians made me feel like I am someone, like I am recognised. I felt like I was talking to someone who might be in government, to someone who could actually help me.”

Resident participating in Your Vote Matters 2015 activities

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