Dear John,

Last week, the Government finally set out its long-awaited elections strategy. One reform in particular deserves attention: a pledge to introduce automated voter registration.

According to ministers, this new approach will use existing government data to reduce bureaucracy and help more people get on the electoral roll.

It has the potential to include millions who are currently missing from our democratic process – including young people, renters and ethnic minority voters who are consistently under-registered.

The Electoral Commission has welcomed the move, noting that around 8 million people in the UK are either not registered or registered at the wrong address.

At Open Britain, we’ve been calling for this kind of reform for years. For too long, the UK has had one of the most burdensome registration systems in the democratic world.

A recent study by the University of Manchester ranked the UK near the bottom in terms of accessibility. For many, especially those who move frequently or feel disconnected from politics, registering to vote has become an unnecessary hurdle – one that automated systems could help remove. So far, so good.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

The plan commits to automated registration, as opposed to automatic registration. There’s an important difference.

Automated registration is a step forward – it can simplify the process and help more people engage with our democracy. But for busy people juggling work, housing moves, and everyday pressures, it might still be a step they never quite get round to.

Automatic registration, on the other hand, sets a much stronger default. It ensures every eligible citizen is added to the electoral roll unless they choose to opt out, sending a clear message that everyone’s voice matters in our democracy. As things stand, it appears people will still need to take action to confirm their inclusion. That risks leaving many of the same groups excluded – again.

Also, there’s no solid timeline. The Government says this reform will be delivered through a future Elections Bill, but as things stand, there’s no date, no draft legislation, and no clarity about how data will be shared, safeguarded or used to reach those most at risk of exclusion.

This lack of definite timeline leaves campaigners wondering whether arrangements will be in place – and have had the desired effect – in time for important future elections.

This matters, because if you’re trying to rebuild trust in politics, the how is just as important as the what. Doing this right means being transparent about privacy. It means ensuring that those who’ve been missed in the past aren’t missed again. It means giving the public a seat at the table, not just ministers and officials.

Democracy groups are watching closely. IPPR has called this the biggest electoral reform since 1969 – but only if it’s followed through with care and ambition. The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust has laid out a practical path to full automatic registration, using existing DWP records and trusted notification systems. These aren’t utopian ideas. They’re working models, backed by international evidence, that could be adopted here in the UK with the right political will.

So yes, this is progress. But it’s also a test. Is the Government serious about opening up democracy, or is this just another headline with insufficient follow-through?

We’ll know soon enough. What we can’t afford is another cycle of promises that sound good but fall short.

Thank you, as always, for your support!

All the best,

Mark Kieran

CEO, Open Britain
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