Is it really illegal...?

Question

to not register to vote? Got the form through and said thank you but no thank you don't want to vote. But the form said it is an offence not to fill the form out.

Answer 1

In the UK it is unlawful not to complete the electoral register form and thereby go onto the electoral roll.
This gives you the entitlement to vote, serve on a jury and pay council tax. You can see why there's no rush to complete it entirely voluntarily!
Basically, it's required so that the govt. knows who lives where (save for those of NFA) and how many. Whether that's a good thing or bad thing is a value judgement.
It is on the basis of the information collated in these forms that local govt resources are allocated by Central Govt.
So a local authority which has a high percentage who are not registered, lose out in terms of grants (and obviously council tax revenue).

Answer 2

Its only illegal if you try to vote without filling out the form. At least that's the way it is here in the States. You don't have to register.

Answer 3

If in UK then you have to fill out the form truthfully so that your details can be entered in the electoral register....that does not mean you have to actually use your vote.....but if you don't vote then don't come on this or other sites moaning about immigration, or licensing laws, or speed cameras or most anything else...if you have a vote then use it.

Answer 4

Are you sure it is a voter registration form, or is it Selective Service? Selective Service is a requirement of everyone at the age of 18. It's what the old military draft system is drawn from.
As for registering to vote, I've never heard of it being mandatory to register to vote, unless perhaps your state requires it for census tracking (which is usually also voluntary.)

Answer 5

I agree with you that the need to alter the mind, i.e., to escape from reality, is a basic human need. I think it may be a little lower on the list, though, because humans need love and/or companionship before they need other things. I also agree that the taxation issue, especially when it comes to marijuana, is significant. If everybody could just grow it in their back yard, the government wouldn't get its cut like it does with tobacco and alcohol. The pharmaceutical industry has enough drugs to put the entire nation into la-la land and then some, but they federally regulated, are profitable, and pay taxes. Heroin and cocaine are more problematic because of their addictive properties and potential lethal nature. If anybody could legally buy these drugs, cheaply, there would be a huge spike (no pun intended) in overdoses, so in this regard I believe the government, or at least your average voter, is concerned about the health effects and not so much about the lost taxes.

Answer 6

It is an offence because if you are not registered on the voters roll, then you may not be paying council tax, They need you to register to find out who is living in your household-its not just about voting.

Answer 7

Ithink it is illegal not to register, because an appearence for jury duty is devcided from the electoral roll. Also if you do not appear on it those granting credit will perhaps be a little more reluctant to do so. It is not illegal to refuse to vote

Answer 8

It is not illegal. You misread the form. It is illegal for the person you give the form to not to register you to vote.

Answer 9

It's illegal to not register your details, I think the fine is in the region of £1000 and possibly a prison sentence. It's the government who prosecute though not the local police.

Answer 10

Yes you have to register so local authorities know how many people are living in their particular area. It is the only way they can estimate the services needed. But that does not mean you have to vote, that's your choice.