Please help the government to test a new service that will enable expats to register to vote online.
The Cabinet Office announced on 23rd October (see http://digital.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/2013/10/23/expats-help-us-test-a-new-service/#more-13793 ) a project to test on-line voter registration with British expats in two test centres - Oxford (on 31st October) and London (on 17th December).
Heather Harper, Chairman of Conservatives Abroad says, "We have been working hard over the last year with our politicians, highlighting the current cumberbsome process of registering to vote from overseas which has deterred many from registering - in 2010 only 23,000 expats registered out of a potential 2.5 million overseas voters. We are very encouraged with the steps the Government is taking to simplify this process online - there is a long way to go but this pilot is a great beginning."
John Waterworth of the Government Digital Service says, "This will be more convenient, simpler and quicker. It's also about us having a better identification process to improve the quality of our register".
Christopher Chantrey OBE, Conservatives Abroad's Political Advisor adds, "With the move to IER (Individual Voter Registration) which passed into law on 31 January 2013 the aim is for online voter registration by June 2014."
The Government Digital Service says: "We need your help to test one of our services.
"One goal of the Individual Electoral Registration project is to allow people to register online at GOV.UK. We hope that the new service will make it easier for overseas voters in particular to register and exercise their voting rights.
"We are now looking for expats to try out a prototype of the new service, to see how well it works for them and to see how we can improve it."
Testing days
Our testing partner is recruiting participants for testing days in the Oxford area on Thursday 31 October and in London on Tuesday 17 December. The testing sessions take up to 45 minutes.
If you are a British citizen who normally lives overseas, and you are visiting the UK on either of those dates we would love to have you come and try out the new service.
Please contact Sarah Tynan to book a place on the Oxford testing day, or contact Kelley Frizelle to book a place on the London testing day."