Facebook to help get UK residents to the ballot box

Users to be asked if they've registered to vote?

9 April 2010 12:54 GMT / By Dan Sung

Facebook will be encouraging UK users to vote in the General Election 2010 by asking them if they're registered to do so. Anyone who logs into the social networking service on Saturday 10 April will be redirected to the government registration page if their answer is "no".

The partnership with the UK Electoral Commission comes in an effort to stop the decline in UK general election turn outs that's been taking place over the last 100 years. 80% of the voting population went to the ballot boxes in the 1950s whereas that number had fallen to just 61.4% by 2005.

Of particular significance is the poor turn out of the 18-24 age group, of whom just 37% cast their votes at the last time of asking. With 23 million UK users registered on Facebook, and many of them young, the hope is to see a big change in these figures come 6 May.

All UK voters must register by 20 April to have their say as to which party shall lead the country. You can register here.

Via: reuters.com

Full tags

Software, Facebook, General Election, Voting