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| EU referendum: Plea to extend EU vote register deadline | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and other MPs say voter registration for the EU referendum should be extended after technical problems hit the official website. | Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and other MPs say voter registration for the EU referendum should be extended after technical problems hit the official website. |
| The difficulties happened just before Tuesday night's deadline. | The difficulties happened just before Tuesday night's deadline. |
| Users reported a page displaying the message "504 Gateway Time-out" instead of the online registration form. | Users reported a page displaying the message "504 Gateway Time-out" instead of the online registration form. |
| The government blamed "unprecedented demand" and said half a million people tried to register to vote on Tuesday. | The government blamed "unprecedented demand" and said half a million people tried to register to vote on Tuesday. |
| According to the government's data website, 525,000 people applied to register to vote during the day - 170,000 were aged 25 to 34, 132,000 under the age of 25 and 100,000 aged 35 to 44. | |
| It also shows that the peak users came at 22:15 BST when 50,711 people were using the service at the same time. There were 26,000 people on the site at 23:55 BST and 20,416 people using the site at 12:01 BST, just after the deadline. | It also shows that the peak users came at 22:15 BST when 50,711 people were using the service at the same time. There were 26,000 people on the site at 23:55 BST and 20,416 people using the site at 12:01 BST, just after the deadline. |
| The government's data site does not record whether these users were successful or not in attempting to register to vote. It is also not clear whether these figures include those who got an error message. | |
| A government source has told the BBC they are looking at whether it would be "practical and legal" to find a way of extending the deadline after the midnight cut off. | A government source has told the BBC they are looking at whether it would be "practical and legal" to find a way of extending the deadline after the midnight cut off. |
| Labour leader Mr Corbyn has also called for the voter registration deadline to be extended. | Labour leader Mr Corbyn has also called for the voter registration deadline to be extended. |
| And SNP leader at Westminster, Angus Robertson, said the deadline "must be" extended because "nobody should be denied their vote". | And SNP leader at Westminster, Angus Robertson, said the deadline "must be" extended because "nobody should be denied their vote". |
| Lib Dem leader Tim Farron described the technical problems as "a shambles" and said it "could have major consequences" for the result of the referendum on 23 June. | Lib Dem leader Tim Farron described the technical problems as "a shambles" and said it "could have major consequences" for the result of the referendum on 23 June. |
| He said people "must be given an extra day to exercise their democratic right". | He said people "must be given an extra day to exercise their democratic right". |
| Labour's Yvette Cooper also called for an extension, saying on Twitter: "People can't be denied the right to vote because computer says no." | |
| A Cabinet Office spokesman said: "We became aware of technical issues on [the registration website] late on Tuesday night due to unprecedented demand. | A Cabinet Office spokesman said: "We became aware of technical issues on [the registration website] late on Tuesday night due to unprecedented demand. |
| "Some people did manage to get through and their applications were processed. We tried to resolve the situation as quickly as was possible and to resolve cases where people tried to register but were not able to." | "Some people did manage to get through and their applications were processed. We tried to resolve the situation as quickly as was possible and to resolve cases where people tried to register but were not able to." |
| Before the deadline, the Electoral Commission said 1.65 million people had applied for a vote since a campaign began last month. | Before the deadline, the Electoral Commission said 1.65 million people had applied for a vote since a campaign began last month. |
| However, this also meant that millions of would-be voters had yet to sign up for the referendum. | However, this also meant that millions of would-be voters had yet to sign up for the referendum. |
| Those eligible to cast a vote - which include British or Irish citizens living in the UK who are 18 or over and Citizens of Commonwealth countries who are 18 or over and who have leave to remain in the UK - have to be on the electoral register to actually do so. | Those eligible to cast a vote - which include British or Irish citizens living in the UK who are 18 or over and Citizens of Commonwealth countries who are 18 or over and who have leave to remain in the UK - have to be on the electoral register to actually do so. |
| To apply to vote by proxy, people need to complete a separate application form, to be returned by 17:00 BST on 15 June. | To apply to vote by proxy, people need to complete a separate application form, to be returned by 17:00 BST on 15 June. |
| Who is eligible to vote in the EU referendum | Who is eligible to vote in the EU referendum |
| The Electoral Commission said 226,000 applications to register were received on Monday - the second highest single day's total since electronic registration was introduced in 2014. | The Electoral Commission said 226,000 applications to register were received on Monday - the second highest single day's total since electronic registration was introduced in 2014. |
| Its communications director Alex Robertson said there had been an "awful lot" of interest in signing up, with 150,000 of Monday's applications coming from people aged under 35. | Its communications director Alex Robertson said there had been an "awful lot" of interest in signing up, with 150,000 of Monday's applications coming from people aged under 35. |
| The number of applications does not necessarily equate to the number of people being registered, as some may come from people who are already signed up to vote. | The number of applications does not necessarily equate to the number of people being registered, as some may come from people who are already signed up to vote. |
| The Electoral Commission said that its most recent estimate, from 2014, suggested 7.5 million were not correctly registered despite being eligible to vote. But it is known that the figure was cut by millions during the general election campaign last year - and we know there have been more than two million applications to register to vote in the past month. | The Electoral Commission said that its most recent estimate, from 2014, suggested 7.5 million were not correctly registered despite being eligible to vote. But it is known that the figure was cut by millions during the general election campaign last year - and we know there have been more than two million applications to register to vote in the past month. |
| While more than 485,000 people applied to register to vote on deadline day ahead of last year's general election, the Electoral Commission said tens of thousands of others also missed out by applying just after the midnight deadline. | While more than 485,000 people applied to register to vote on deadline day ahead of last year's general election, the Electoral Commission said tens of thousands of others also missed out by applying just after the midnight deadline. |
| Levels of turnout - the number of people who actually vote - are likely to be crucial to the outcome of the referendum, with both sides trying to mobilise their supporters and to warn people of the consequences of staying at home on the big day. | Levels of turnout - the number of people who actually vote - are likely to be crucial to the outcome of the referendum, with both sides trying to mobilise their supporters and to warn people of the consequences of staying at home on the big day. |
| The Electoral Commission said levels of awareness about the referendum had increased considerably in recent weeks. | The Electoral Commission said levels of awareness about the referendum had increased considerably in recent weeks. |
| Did you have problems registering to vote on Tuesday evening? What has been your experience of the registration process? You can share your stories by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Did you have problems registering to vote on Tuesday evening? What has been your experience of the registration process? You can share your stories by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| If you are available to talk to a BBC journalist, please include a telephone number. | If you are available to talk to a BBC journalist, please include a telephone number. |
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