Facebook alert to encourage people to register to vote this weekend

People over the age of 18 who log on to Facebook after noon on Saturday 9 April, will see a message at the top of their newsfeed which reminds them to register to vote. By clicking a link in the message, people will be directed to the Electoral Commission website, which will give people information about how to register to vote. You’ll also be able to share with your friends that you’ve registered.

The message will be rolled out over a 24-hour period to encourage people to register ahead of the elections in August.

Past studies have found that voters who see more of their Facebook friends talking about voting are more likely to vote themselves. Rolling out the Voter Registration button is a small way that Facebook is helping to encourage people to take part in the democratic process.

This year for the first time the Electoral Commission’s Contact Centre is also responding to queries from voters posted on Facebook and other social media sites.

Similar 'I'm a Voter' and Voter Registration buttons have been used in the United States during the last three US elections, the UK election, for the EU parliamentary elections and in the world’s largest democracy, India – where the megaphone reached 31 million people and 4.3 million people shared that they’d voted.