Voters in Haringey have until 13 March – just three weeks – to register so that they can vote for their local council representatives at elections on 4 May 2006.

With the registration deadline looming, Lynne Featherstone MP today helped the Electoral Commission launch a campaign urging all those people who are eligible to vote to make sure they are on the electoral register.

Names can be added later to the electoral register on a monthly basis but anyone not registered to vote by 13 March will not be able to vote in the 4 May local elections. An online electoral registration form can be downloaded from www.aboutmyvote.co.uk

Peter Wardle, Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission, said, “Many people assume that they’ll be automatically registered, but that isn’t the case. Politics affects every aspect of our lives, from rubbish collection and road safety to education and care for the elderly. We want to remind people in Haringey that they must be registered by 13 March so they don’t lose their right to vote.”

A recent report by the Electoral Commission found that up to 3.7 million people in England and Wales, between 8-9% of the eligible population, did not register to vote in 2000.