The latest online transactional service from government has gone live as part of the digital by default initiative to put more public services online. Electoral registration is the third public service to go live online after lasting power of attorney and student finance. These public services are three of the 25 most used government services that Government Digital Service (GDS) is moving online as part of a two-year project. The 25 services – ranging from visa applications to benefits claims to booking prison visits – were identified as exemplars that would be the first to be redeveloped under the digital by default plan. Registering to vote is the latest service which hopes to make the process simpler for citizens and save the government money. People will be able to register to vote online and on any device in three minutes by providing their name, address, date of birth and National Insurance number.
The individual electoral registration (IER) website now replaces the archaic paper-based process dating back to the 19th century where one person registers the entire household. According to minister of state for cities and constitution Greg Clark, placing the responsibility with the individual increases the security of the registration process.
IER aims to prevent fraud by allowing government to verify individuals who complete the online process and prove that they are who they say they are using their National Insurance number.
… But registering to vote online doesn’t signify the first step towards voting online. Clark was very clear in saying that this new online service is a separate active from the act of voting. “The current government has no plans to do this, and we’ve been focused on the registration side of it,” he said.
Full Article: Register to vote online goes live.