Student Vote

[NellieMay]

It is known that students have abused the system and voted in two places. Apparently some have been boasting and joking about it! Virtually impossible to check this doesn't happen apparently! Surely this needs to be addressed.

http://metro.co.uk/2017/05/16/how-to-register-to-vote-if-you-are-a-student-in-the-general-election-664091p


Putting it in News as it the most relevant section.

[chelle7272]

The link doesn't work for me

[jim360]

I think it was only in 1948 that students stopped being allowed to vote twice. Odd how rules about democracies can change.

As the article linked states (link broken, I think, but try the one below), it's illegal to vote twice. I hope any offenders are caught. But students were able to choose where to vote more freely so maybe that was what was going on more.

http://metro.co.uk/2017/05/16/how-to-register-to-vote-if-you-are-a-student-in-the-general-election-6640910/

[kvalidir]

The number of registered voters turned away because of administrative errors also needs addressing for that matter.

[NellieMay]

They can still vote twice in council elections.

http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/faq/voting-and-registration/i-am-a-student-living-away-from-home.-where-can-i-register-to-vote

[Gromit]

Is the implication that students robbed the Conservatives of their majority?
I very much doubt any cheating would have made much difference to the result.

[TheChair]

"It is known that students have abused the system and voted in two places."
It is? Who knows it? What evidence is there?

[EDDIE51]

Students have always had the choice to register at their home address or at their University address. It looks like some more checks need to be made!

[EDDIE51]

Having said that I don't actually see how it is possible to check.
How can you tell if someone has registered at their University and also at their home which could be 100s of miles apart? The only way I can see would be to have one central register for general elections, that would cost a fortune and I imagine the number of illegal votes caught would be very small.

[jim360]

Being *registered* twice is perfectly legal. You can just only vote once.

[-Talbot-]

http://metro.co.uk/2017/05/16/how-to-register-to-vote-if-you-are-a-student-in-the-general-election-6640910/

[Mamyalynne]

I think you'll find that anyone (Student or not) boasting openly about voting twice in the General Election most likely didn't do so.

If you know differently Nellie, then report them.

[EDDIE51]

^ No point. As voting is anonymous it would be impossible to prove!

[Mamyalynne]

^
https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/find-information-by-subject/electoral-fraud/preventing-and-reporting-electoral-fraud

[Hopkirk]

Voting isn't anonymous Eddie, just the way you voted.

[anneasquith]

No wonder the government is in trouble,who allowed young people to vote anyway ?

[ToraToraTora]

just stop them voting altogether. We should change the rules so that you can only vote once you have paid over £1000 in National insurance and tie voting to the NI number. Simples.

[jim360]

Back to voting only for the over-30s employed rich men system? :)

[Gladeian]

I have long held the view that proof of identity should be required at all elections. The system is far too lax - a check of the voters register is all that is done at the moment. A person could claim to be anyone if they just quoted the correct address of that person.

[ToraToraTora]

Well, slightly TIC Jim but is it so wrong to have expected people to have contributed before they have the luxury of voting?

[NellieMay]

Mamyalynne. This is how I found out!

https://www.change.org/p/uk-electoral-commission-labour-general-election-fraud-2017

I don't really know any students these days.