If non-voters were a party, they would be the largest party
This report puts forward three policy approaches to improve turnout and reduce inequality at UK general elections.
1. Make voting easier. By taking down the barriers to electoral registration before election day, and barriers to arriving at the ballot box on election day. This could include automatic voter registration, removal or relaxation of voter ID requirements, moving polling day to a non-working day, and extending voter rights to some long-term residents with permanent residency rights.
2. Make voting more worthwhile. By ensuring there is a perceived ‘return’ on voting relative to other forms of political influence, and that individuals have roughly equal ‘returns’ on their vote. This could include capping political donations, stronger rules and enforcement on political donations, electoral system reform and population-based constituencies.
3. Create norms of voting. By cultivating a stronger culture of democratic participation using state and civic institutions. This could include extending voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds, citizenship education at school, compulsory voting and an election day service.
A small number of ‘goldilocks’ policies emerge in our analysis as effective in raising turnout and narrowing inequality, and as feasibly implementable in this parliament. These are:
• automatic voter registration
• £100,000 annual cap on political donors
• votes for 16- and 17-year-olds
• election day service