Surge in voter registration makes election outcome more volatile

[Anarcho-Socialist]

Guardian survey figures reveal significant increase in the electorate, especially among young people, which could see May 6 turnout soar

The number of people registering to vote has increased markedly, adding a new generation of voters to the electorate and making the outcome of the election even more volatile, according to a survey of marginal constituencies conducted by the Guardian.

Figures collected from more than 20 of the most marginal areas following Tuesday's deadline to register to vote indicate across-the-board increases in the electorate, compared with the last general election, suggesting that turnout could soar on May 6.

In one area, the increase is as high as 17%, and there are also indications of a dramatic surge in people requesting postal votes. The volume of postal vote requests doubled in some areas compared with 2005, putting electoral administration systems under pressure and raising new concerns about postal vote fraud and the extent to which parties are manipulating the system to boost their vote.

(snip)

The Liberal Democrats could benefit disproportionately from the boost in numbers and postal votes. The Electoral Commission has said that those expressing an interest in registering were disproportionately in the youngest age bracket of 18-24 – the same group that recent polls show backing the Lib Dems. Previous trends show that people who use a postal vote send it quickly after they receive it meaning that millions of people will be voting in the next week when the party is still high in the polls on the back of the first TV debate.

More:http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/apr/22/surge-voter-registration-election-volatile

Good stuff, it's great if this turns out to be true. The right-wing rags hate young people and it would be fitting if young people turned out to stick it to the Murdoch press and Mail rags which demonises them so.

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. The difference in voting intention in age is really noticeable

From YouGov's latest poll:

      18-34  35-54    55+
Con      27     32     38
Lib Dem  42     29     26
Lab      24     32     24

http://www.today.yougov.co.uk/sites/today.yougov.co.uk/files/YG-Archives-Sun-trackers-21.04.pdf

[non sociopath skin]

2. It does begin to look as if Cleggy is poised to do an Obama ...

The Skin