Direct Registration Survey

Overview

Introduction to Direct Registration

Direct registration is a new power in the Representation of the People Bill 2026 that allows Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) to add someone to their electoral register without requiring an application, as long as the ERO is satisfied as to the person’s identity and eligibility. Data held by central government may be used as one of the sources to help establish whether an individual is entitled to be registered to vote and that they are currently unregistered. 

If an Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) has information about someone’s name and address, and that person appears to be of voting age and entitled to vote, the ERO must: 

• send the person a written notice explaining what is happening 
• provide a deadline for the person to respond to the notice  
• add them to the register if - during the response period - they do not object, or they confirm they wish to be registered 

During the response period, people identified in this way can still choose to opt out of direct registration, correct any details, or advise the ERO that they intend to make their own application. They can also inform their ERO, during the response period, that they wish to use another registration route (e.g. anonymous registration, a declaration of local connection, a service declaration or an overseas elector’s declaration) which they will need to arrange separately through the usual channels.  

Direct registration will apply to UK Parliamentary registers, and to local government registers in England and Northern Ireland.