ALLAN Doran MP’s piece on Monday had some ring of truth (How voter ID could disadvantage SNP). As a society we need to have a very much higher level of engagement in elections.
However, his sojourn in Westminster seems to have caused amnesia about some of the impediments to mass voting. Yes, the photo ID requirement will probably have an impact. Particularly as a student ID is deemed to be not valid. But in my opinion, not by as much as the requirement for individuals to annually re-register to vote.
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The numbers of young people and private renters that are registered voters are particularly low. Add to that those living at an address for barely a year and we have a significant portion of the population who are NOT registered to vote. This is probably more acute in urban areas.
I understand that many countries have a system of lifetime registration to vote. All eligible citizens should be registered. Why not here?
In the meantime who is campaigning to register the unregistered? Surely that is as high a priority as getting across the need for self-determination?
Willie Oswald
Blanefield
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