Emma Reynolds, Labour MP for Wolverhampton North East and Shadow Housing Minister, is supporting National Voter Registration Day tomorrow, 5 February 2015.National Voter Registration Day is organised by the campaign Bite the Ballot. It encourages people to register to vote so they can exercise their democratic rights.

It is estimated that 7.5million eligible voters are absent from the electoral register across the UK. That is more than 30 times the population of Wolverhampton and equivalent to a city the size of London.

Emma is supporting a Labour motion in Parliament today, 4 February 2015, calling on the government to do more to encourage people to join the register.

Emma said, “It has never been more important to make people aware of the power they hold if they register to vote.

“I encourage everyone in Wolverhampton to join the electoral register so that they can have their say in the general and local elections on 7 May. The right to vote is the most fundamental right we have in our democracy. Countless people have fought to defend it, including my grandfather who is a D-Day veteran.

“I am particularly concerned that those least likely to be registered are students, young people, private renters, and members of the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities. It is vitally important that these groups join the electoral register and use their right to vote.

“The way that we register to vote has changed. The council has written to everyone on the register to inform them of the new changes. Anyone who wants to join the register can go online and do so at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. You can also contact the city council on 01902 551 177.”

February 2015