Join the Electoral Roll Revolution

Cast your mind back about 18 months – we would have all just completed reading Dr Mark Walport and Richard Thomas’s report on Data Sharing. Those of us who read the first 18 recommendations would no doubt have expected and most likely agreed with all that had been presented by the former Data Protection Tsar, but not perhaps the sting in the tail. The firm and unambiguous recommendation to remove the use of the Edited Electoral Roll (EER).

The recommendation was subsequently argued by Lord Norton, who hoped to move for complete abolition of the register after the publication of the 2011 edition. As is often the case with our legislators when in the throes of a debate, the full picture goes out of the window in favour of a narrower POV that supports their end. Therefore a great deal of the argument for the proposed abolition is based on a few Local Electoral Agents moaning that it’s “hard” to compile both the full and edited roll!! And inevitably the age old argument about junk mail discouraging electoral registrations is dusted off and brought out of the storeroom – it was drivel in 2002 and remains so today!

The real issue for us though is what do we do? The consultation ends on Feb 24th so the clock is well and truly ticking. Many groups have been formed to develop strategies and they in turn will make submissions, this includes the DMA Data Council and our various group companies.

Frankly, my guess is that it is a done deal. And while I have long opined that such a measure would be a good vote-winner, it will not stop me from doing my damndest to upset the civil servant’s applecart. Without a doubt our strength lies in numbers so pick up your pens and write to your MP’s; the more of us kicking off the better. Vive la Révolution!

More on the progress of this measure in the weeks to come.