Members of the public attempting to register to vote in the EU referendum complained that the government website had crashed hours before the deadline. The development could mean that tens of thousands of potential voters may be disenfranchised and unable to cast a vote in what is expected to be closely fought contest. Voters have been encouraged to register before 11.59pm on Tuesday 7 June to be able to take part in the EU referendum. However, the Cabinet Office website would not allow voters to input their details at 10.40pm on Tuesday. A tweet from the Cabinet Office acknowledged that the site had crashed. “We’re aware of the technical issue on [the site]. We’re working to resolve it. This is due to unprecedented demand. Update soon,” it said.
The online registration system was supposed to make it easier than ever for people living in England, Wales and Scotland to register. But on Twitter, users complained that the website crashed after the prime minister, David Cameron, and Ukip leader Nigel Farage took part in an EU referendum programme.
Allison Pearson, the Telegraph columnist, wrote on Twitter that her husband had attempted to register at 10.45pm but had been unable to do so. “Himself trying to register to vote. ‘Sorry, we are having technical problems’ 504 Gateway 504. Time-out impedes democracy.”
Full Article: EU referendum voter registration site crashes before deadline | Politics | The Guardian.