Hogan Lovells partners with The Politics Project to boost voter participation ahead of the UK general election

According to the 2023 Electoral Commission report, an estimated 8 million people were missing from the electoral register and millions more were not registered accurately. To address this black hole in the voting community Hogan Lovells and The Politics Project have joined forces to create a Voter Handbook that sets out the steps needed to take part in the UK parliamentary elections, including registering to vote, different methods of voting and the new voter identification requirements. There is also a short guide to the handbook for those sharing it (such as employers who distribute it to employees). 

The handbook and guide have been developed in line with the Electoral Commission’s guidance and are intended to give information to all voters located in England. It is apolitical, non-partisan and does not advocate for particular parties or candidates. 

Alex Sciannaca, Partner at Hogan Lovells said: “Law firms as well as the companies they represent can really help to enhance engagement on democracy issues by sharing information about the voting process with their employees. Through this project, we want to help move the dial on the statistics that show just one in four young people, for example, are registered to vote. This needs to change. Evidence has shown that companies can make a real impact on voter turnout if they engage their employees in the process – and sharing the handbook is an easy way to do this.”

Telha Arshad, Global Regulatory Counsel at Hogan Lovells said: “There are several clients we advise on political and electoral law compliance matters and we have been advising the charity My Life My Say pro bono on its ‘Give an X’ initiative which seeks to drive youth voter participation. Corporates can often be nervous about the reputational or legal ramifications of making any statements about voting, thinking it is too interventionist to, for example, encourage employees to register to vote. We hope that tools like the Voter Handbook allow employers to distribute information that can have a meaningful impact on voter turnout in a neutral and non-partisan way.”

This initiative ties into broader work Hogan Lovells is doing during what is a marathon election year, where more than half the world’s population can make their vote count. The 2024 Elections Hub showcases the firm’s collective insights and analyses related to election developments, outcomes, and implications for business. In addition, the 2024 Elections Hub features interactive tools such as searchable timelines and maps, alongside a range of cross-promotional content including articles, podcasts, videos and country-specific credentials, experience and key contacts.