Fined £80 for not joining

[Honeyandapple]

The electoral roll.
Is this a new thing? The council have sent me a letter to my new address saying I must register to vote and if I don't register I will be fined.
Seems quite a lot and I'm unsure if this is a one-off fine or every time there's an election. I have always voted previously, but I now work in a position dealing with a lot of people in very vulnerable situations often with severe MH issues and often ex offenders. I'd quite like not to be so easily traceable!

AIBU not joining the electoral role and expecting not to have to pay a fine.

@DianaT1969 and I'll let them know if I die.
How do you plan to do that then?

@prh47bridge

In practice it is extremely difficult to fine someone because prosecution is impractical and expensive and I'm not sure it happened during my time

This is one of the reasons the government introduced the £80 penalty charge. No need to prosecute any more, just send a fixed penalty notice.

Ah thank you - I'm getting a bit out of touch. I will have to ask my former colleagues how the fines are working out I'm not sure they'll be thrilled about having to issue them, then of course if someone gets one and refuses to pay it will turn into a ball-ache. Kind of glad I'm not there any more

I think violent objections to being registered dates to the disastrous poll tax scheme which did for Maggie Thatcher. Nowadays, many people are often forced to move through upheavals in rented accommodation, family breakdowns or just a desire to be invisible. Registering to vote does not mean you are compelled to turn out at elections. In many countries, you are, and I think we would be a better democracy if voting was compulsory here. Of course, only proportional representaion will actually provide a fair result in elections. We are not really a democracy in the UK.

Anyone can opt out of the "open register". But the full register is available for the public to view in person (just not download a copy on the internet), for credit checking purposes, and to political parties.

You can register to vote anonymously so your details will not even appear on the full register but the requirements are strict. I doubt working with dangerous clients is going to qualify.

www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/register-vote/register-vote-anonymously

And yes, you do have to register.

It's harsh, but if you feel registering to vote would put you in too much danger because of your job, your only legal option is probably to quit that job.

When I went to view the electoral register at my local council office, I was prevented from looking at anyone's entry but my own "for data protection reasons".

I must say, I'm quite shocked you're contemplating giving up your vote so lightly, OP.

@ConquestEmpireHungerPlague

When I went to view the electoral register at my local council office, I was prevented from looking at anyone's entry but my own "for data protection reasons".

I must say, I'm quite shocked you're contemplating giving up your vote so lightly, OP.

Ours used to be in the library, open to the public! I was a child, but I remember my mum looking in it for some reason. Online, on ancestry for example you can view what I assume to be older versions to see where people lived.

@caughtalightsneeze

As far as I know it has always been the case that you can be fined.

You can opt out of the electoral roll that is publicly available to search though.

Yes you can opt out of the publicly role I have

YABU. Everybody has to register and everybody should vote. You can, as a PP has said, opt not to be on the public register - I have never been on it.