'Work needed' to encourage voters

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More has to be done in many parts of the UK to encourage people to register for elections, a report says.

The Electoral Commission found almost two thirds (66%) of electoral registration officers failed to raise enough awareness.

But 85% either met or exceeded expectations for making the information on offer accessible.

All electoral registration officers across the UK were asked to fill in self-assessment forms for the survey.

'Confidence'

Some 37% said they did not meet the standard expected for "maintaining the integrity of registration and absent vote".

Electoral Commission chairman Jenny Watson said: "Electoral registration underpins our electoral process and these standards should give voters confidence as well as supporting improvement where it is needed."

She added: "In general we're pleased with the performance of electoral registration officers. The vast majority of electors are getting the quality service they deserve.

"But there are areas where we want to see improvements. Registration officers need to do more to make sure that everyone who is eligible to register does so, particularly groups currently less likely to be on the register, such as young people and those from certain ethnic minority communities."