Understanding Electoral Registration

Public Sector

MORI conducted a survey for The Electoral Commission in December 2004 and January 2005 to explore public attitudes towards voter registration, voting methods and awareness of The Commission. The research was used by the Commission to inform its report "Understanding Electoral Registration" published in September 2005.

 

MORI conducted a survey for The Electoral Commission in December 2004 and January 2005 to explore public attitudes towards voter registration, voting methods and awareness of The Commission. The research was used by the Commission to inform its report "Understanding Electoral Registration" published in September 2005.

Topline Results

  • Topline results are based on 6,018 adults aged 18+ in the UK
  • Interviews were conducted face-to-face, in home, between 2-6 December 2004; 6-10 January 2005; and 20-24 January 2005 in Great Britain. Some questions were also asked in Northern Ireland between 14-21 December 2004
  • The research was conducted over three Waves of MORI's face to face Omnibus survey. Please see individual questions for base sizes and fieldwork dates
  • Data are weighted to the profile of the population
  • An asterisk (*) indicates a finding of less than 0.5% but greater than zero
  • Where percentages do not add up to exactly 100% this may be due to computer rounding, the exclusion of "don't knows" or to multiple answers

Electoral Registration / Postal Voting

Q1 How much do you feel you know about…? Base: 1,997 GB adults (20-24 January 2005)

  A great deal A fair amount Not very much Nothing at all Don't know
  % % % % %
The system of registering to vote in an election in the UK 10 41 37 10 1

Q2 As you may know, before the last General Election in June 2001, the law was changed so that all registered voters could obtain a postal vote if they wanted one, allowing them to send their ballot papers by post rather than going to a polling station. They could do this by ringing their local council and asking for a postal vote. Before this interview, were you aware of this or not? Base: 1,063 GB adults (20-24 January 2005)

  %
Yes, aware 73
No, not aware 26
Don't know 1

Q3 As far as you are aware, have you or anyone in your household received any information from your local council in the past 12 months about postal voting at elections? Base: 727 GB adults living in non-pilot 2004 regions (20-24 January 2005)

  %
Yes, have received 38
No, not received 51
Don't know 11

Q4 As far as you are aware, are you registered to vote in an election in the UK? Base: 5,956 GB adults 18+ (6,084 adults aged 16+) (2-6 December 2004; 6-11 January 2005; 20-24 January 2005)

  18+ 16+
  % %
Yes, am registered to vote 93 90
No, not registered to vote 5 8
Don't know 2 2

Q5 Are there any particular reasons why you are not registered to vote? (Unprompted) Base: 274 GB adults who are not registered to vote (2-6 December 2004; 6-11 January 2005; 20-24 January 2005)

  %
I'm not eligible to vote 29
Am not interested in voting so there is no point registering 14
Have just moved house 10
Haven't got around to it / will do it sometime 8
Don't know how to do it / who to contact 6
Couldn't be bothered 5
Live in more than one place 3
Invasion of privacy / register not confidential 2
Someone else in the household fills in the form/is in charge of registration 1
I thought it was automatic / carried over from last year *
It should be automatic / down to the local council *
To avoid authorities / other people being able to find out where I live -
To avoid paying tax *
Other 13
Don't know 16

Q6 Which if any, of these reasons explain why you are not registered to vote? (Prompted) Base: 274 GB adults who are not registered to vote (2-6 December 2004; 6-11 January 2005; 20-24 January 2005)

  %
I'm not eligible to vote 30
Am not interested in voting so there is no point registering 16
Have just moved house 11
Couldn't be bothered 10
Haven't got around to it / will do it sometime 10
Don't know how to do it / who to contact 8
Live in more than one place 4
Invasion of privacy / register not confidential 2
I thought it was automatic / carried over from last year 1
It should be automatic / down to the local council 1
To avoid authorities / other people finding out where I live 1
Someone else in the household fills in the form / is in charge of registration *
To avoid paying tax -
Other 9
Don't know 13

Q7 As far as you are aware, have you ever been registered to vote in an election in the UK? Base: 274 GB adults who are not registered to vote (2-6 December 2004; 6-11 January 2005; 20-24 January 2005)

  %
Yes, have been registered to vote in the past 25
No, never been registered to vote 71
Don't know 3

Q8 Why have you registered to vote? Base: 967 GB adults who are registered to vote (6-11 January 2005)

  %
Because I want to vote / give me the opportunity to vote / its my right 54
It's my duty to register / civic responsibility 20
Its automatic / I registered previously / I haven't de-registered 11
Habit / I always register to vote 9
You have to / it's the law 6
The form arrived / thought you had to fill it in 4
Someone else did it for me 2
I was encouraged to register by a relative / friend 1
I was encouraged to register by a political party / candidate 1
In order to get credit / because you need to get a loan 1
To be eligible for jury service -
Other 5
Don't know 4

Q9 Have you registered for a postal vote, that is sending in your ballot paper by post rather than going to a polling station, for a future election or elections? Base: 5,568 GB adults who are registered to vote (2-6 December 2004; 6-11 January 2005; 20-24 January 2005)

  %
Yes, have registered for a postal vote 18
No, not registered for a postal vote 79
Don't know 3

Q10 Have you registered for a postal vote for one specific future election, for a specific period of time or permanently for all future elections? Base: 1,001 GB adults who are registered for a postal vote at a future election (2-6 December 2004; 6-11 January 2005; 20-24 January 2005)

  %
Specific election only 17
Specific period of time 8
All future elections 62
Don't know 14

Q11 Why have you chosen to register for a postal vote for a future election? Base: 1,001 GB adults who are registered for a postal vote at a future election (2-6 December 2004; 6-11 January 2005; 20-24 January 2005)

  %
Convenience / more convenient / it's easier to receive a ballot paper than to go to a polling station 62
Have health problems / disability / know that going to have physical difficulties getting to the polling station 11
Know that I am going to be away on election day / out of the country / on holiday / on business 6
The local council encouraged me / us to have a postal vote / sent me information 6
The process is easy / it's easy to do / easy to fill in the forms 5
Don't have transport 4
Know that won't have time to get to the polling station 4
It was organised for me 4
Voted by post before 3
Gives me more time to consider how to vote 2
Like / prefer voting by post / don't like polling stations 2
Feel it is a more secure way of voting 1
Like getting ballot paper earlier 1
Know that won't be able to get childcare 1
I was persuaded by a relative / friend to have a postal vote 1
I was persuaded by a political party / candidate to have a postal vote 1
Have not got round to changing *
Other 8
Don't know 3

Q12 Have you ever used a postal vote in an election in the UK before? Base: 3,953 GB adults (6-11 January 2005; 20-24 January 2005)

  %
Yes, have used a postal vote before 19
No, no have not used a postal vote before 80
Don't know 2

Q13 How interested, if at all, are you in receiving a postal vote for a future election in the UK? Base: 1,997 GB adults, including 1,432 GB adults currently not registered for a postal vote (6-11 January 2005)

  All Not registered for postal vote
  % %
Very interested 17 7
Fairly interested 22 21
Not very interested 29 34
Not at all interested 31 37
Don't know 2 1

Q14a How interested would you say you are in the following… Politics Base: 1,001 GB adults who are registered for a postal vote at a future election (2-6 December 2004; 6-11 January 2005; 20-24 January 2005)

  %
Very interested 14
Fairly interested 41
Not very interested 31
Not at all interested 14
Don't know 0

Q14b How interested would you say you are in the following… Politics Base: 274 GB adults who are not registered to vote (2-6 December 2004; 6-11 January 2005; 20-24 January 2005)

  %
Very interested 13
Fairly interested 28
Not very interested 26
Not at all interested 31
Don't know 2

Q15a Which of these statements best describes your attitude towards voting at General Elections? Base: 1,001 GB adults who are registered for a postal vote at a future election (2-6 December 2004; 6-11 January 2005; 20-24 January 2005)

  %
I always vote at General Elections 71
I sometimes vote at General Elections 21
I never vote at General Elections 6
I've not been eligible in the past to vote at a General Election 2
Don't know 1

Q15b Which of these statements best describes your attitude towards voting at General Elections? Base: 274 GB adults who are not registered to vote (2-6 December 2004; 6-11 January 2005; 20-24 January 2005)

  %
I always vote at General Elections 9
I sometimes vote at General Elections 16
I never vote at General Elections 32
I've not been eligible in the past to vote at a General Election 38
Don't know 6

Voting Channels

Q16 Thinking generally about elections, which one of the following would you say is most important for you when you vote? Base: 1,125 UK adults (6-11 January 2005 in GB; 14-21 December 2004 in Northern Ireland)

  %
Voting being easy to do 16
Voting being convenient 18
My vote being safe from fraud or abuse 36
Voting being secret - that is without anyone else knowing how I voted 15
Having a choice of methods to cast a vote (such as by post or in person at a polling station) 7
Other *
None 4
Don't know 4

Q17 And in your view which of these, if any, is the best way of holding elections? Base: 1,125 UK adults (6-11 January 2005 in GB; 14-21 December 2004 in Northern Ireland)

  %
To send everyone a ballot paper in the post and to have polling stations as well 39
To send everyone a ballot paper in the post and not have any local polling stations, but also to have other ways of voting such as voting by telephone and voting by computer via the Internet 14
To send a ballot paper in the post to those who ask for one and for everyone else to vote in their local polling stations 29
To send everyone a ballot paper in the post and not have any local polling stations 6
Other 2
None of these 5
Don't know 6

The Electoral Commission

Q18 Before this interview, how much, if anything, had you heard about The Electoral Commission? Base: 1,125 UK adults (6-11 January 2005 in GB; 14-21 December 2004 in Northern Ireland)

  %
Heard a great deal 2
Heard a fair amount 13
Not heard very much 42
Had not heard of the Electoral Commission at all 41
Don't know 2

Q19 Which of these best describes The Electoral Commission? Base: 631 UK adults who have at least heard of The Electoral Commission (6-11 January 2005 in GB; 14-21 December 2004 in Northern Ireland)

  %
Part of local government 9
Part of central government 24
An independent body separate from Government 41
None of these 3
Don't know 23

Q20 Before this interview, how much, if anything, had you heard about the following website — aboutmyvote.co.uk? Base: 1,063 GB adults (6-11 January 2005)

  %
Heard about it and visited it *
Heard about it but not visited it 5
Have not heard about it at all 91
Don't know 4

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