Vote chance missed fears

Thousands of West Midland voters could be robbed of the chance to take part in a snap General Election because the electoral register is not up to date.

People who have recently turned 18 or have moved home since last December may not be able to vote because their names are missing from the official register.

This will not be updated until weeks AFTER the poll if Gordon Brown goes to the country this autumn.

Mr Brown will spend this weekend pondering whether to call an election. If he decides now is the time, an election date is likely to be either November 1 or 8.

But registers currently being compiled by local authorities won't be fully ready until December.

That means those who have just turned 18, or who have moved house and need to re-register, face the risk of not being able to vote.

Homes across the West Midlands have received letters asking them to update lists of householders.

But because these are not due to be processed until December, local authorities are now drawing up plans to rush through updates to the voting register.

The situation in the region today reveals:

l In Wolverhampton, there are around 8,000 people who could lose the right to vote. Council spokeswoman Julia Corrigan said: "If an election is announced we will send claim forms to try to get them registered in time _ but they willll only have one chance to make a claim and only a few days to make it."

l In Sandwell, up to 13,000 people could be affected, where deputy council leader Steve Eling said: "If an election is called we will send a form to each person on our register and it is vital they return that form straight away. The last day we can accept it is 11 days before an election."

l In Dudley, council spokesman said: "We've a contingency in place to issue rolling forms to people who've notified us of a change of circumstance but these would need to be returned two weeks before voting to be registered."

l In Staffordshire, district councils are drawing up plans. Cannock Chase, spokesman Tom Hobbins said: "It would cause a headache if an election was called now because it would coincide with the annual canvas period. Certain people risk being unable to vote."

In South Staffordshire, Phil Hardy head of electoral services, said: "We aim to send a form and explanatory letter to all new electors so far identified as soon as the election is called." Lichfield returning officer Nina Dawes admitted there was a problem and that staff would "do their best" to ensure all got to vote.

Walsall Council was not available for comment today.

John Turner of the Association of Electoral Administrators estimated that the problems could rob up to one million adults of the chance to vote.