A report to Salford Council's `Election Matters Committee' tomorrow reveals that Salford has the worst drop out of registered voters in Greater Manchester. As of December 2014 the city had `lost' over 10,000 voters from the official electoral register a drop of 6.02%, compared to the national average of a 2% drop.
The percentage drop was almost double that of Manchester (-3.36) and four times the percentage drop in Bolton (-0.55). While the Salford figures rose slightly by March this year* the report admits "Salford has seen the largest reduction in the number of electors on the register across AGMA. It is difficult to provide an explanation for this reduction in view of the considerable activity undertaken to ensure registration across the city".
While the report puts forward various explanations, including the new IER system of registering, a reluctance to register as a result of having to provide a national insurance number and date of birth, and the high `transience' within the city, an attached Government report puts the blame firmly on politicians...
"The report recognises that the main reasons for low levels of voter engagement are political and serious action needs to be taken by political parties, individual politicians and the Government to engage more effectively with the public and convince them of the value of voting if the public is to be re-engaged not just with elections but politics more broadly."
Meanwhile, Salford Council has received £119,838 funding from the Government in 2014/15 to sort the IER system, and has received a further £44,920.80 to fund the `maximisation of voter registration'.
In response, Salford Council has produced an `IER Communications Action Plan' which sets out how it's going to persuade residents to register to vote at the forthcoming Local and General Elections. The seven page `action plan' includes using the Mayor's Twitter feed (even though he's blocked dozens of `politically engaged' people from engaging with him), PR stunts with hot cross buns and paid advertising on beer mats (`plus extra around Quays') and on the back of toilet doors at Salford University.
The plan also involves a PR and marketing campaign, including paid adverts and sponsorship presumably using the Government money with Key 103, Globe Radio, Salford City Radio, Unity Radio, Manchester Evening News and the Salford Advertiser, Salford Online, M3 and M44 magazines, plus banner adverts on estate agents and property websites, a half page advert in The Skinny, and lots, lots more.
Indeed, every single media in Salford and beyond is covered in the `action plan' except the Salford Star. Which calls into question the political use of public funds.
It's no wonder the Government report "recognises that the main reasons for low levels of voter engagement are political"...
The Salford Star urges everyone in the city to register to vote this year there are more alternatives to the main political parties than ever before in Salford. The deadline for registration is April 20th full details click here
Voter registration figures for Salford:
AGMA figures:
Electors on the 2013 register: 177,693.
Electors on the register December 2014: 166,998
Salford Council figures:
2013: Local Government Registered Electors: 177,693
Parliamentary Registered Electors 171,718
2014 (Dec): Local Government Registered Electors: 166,998
Parliamentary Registered Electors 159,596
2015: (March) Local Government Registered Electors: 168,782
Parliamentary Registered Electors 161,160
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