With the deadline for individual electoral registration looming (it's this Friday, 20th November), there are concerns that more than 10,000 Enfield residents might not register in time. Across all UK urban areas the missing names might be counted in the millions.
The numbers of voters registered in each constituency by 20th November will be used when redrawing the electoral map and the fear is that the missing names on electoral rolls will result in London and other big cities having fewer parliamentary seats and thus being less influential on future government decisions.
Probably all readers of this website will already have registered, but you may well know people - particularly younger people - who have not yet registered. If you do, please pass this message on to them urgently.
They may also be interested to know that not being on the electoral register may reduce their credit rating.
For more details, see the box below.
Keep your vote
After November 20th, millions of voters from across the UK will disappear from the electoral register. Are you one of them? You will have less of a say in future elections, and it could affect your credit rating. Most people won't even know it's happened until it's too late - so make sure you're registered now.
What's going on?
The government has recently switched to a new system of registering to vote, called "Individual Electoral Registration". The deadline for people to register under the new system is November 20th. Most people have been automatically registered - but an estimated 1.9 million people are still not registered and will be deleted from the register without their knowledge.
Why does it matter?
If you're not on the electoral register next month, then according to the government you don't exist. MPs are allocated to areas based on how many people are on the electoral register - not how many people actually live there. That means if you're not on the register by Friday 20th then your vote could count for less at the next election.
If that wasn't enough, then not being on the electoral register can affect your credit rating. That will make it harder to get things like a phone contract or a loan to buy a car.
Am I registered?
Your local council office can tell you for sure. Many councils will have sent you a form asking you to confirm your registration details. Sending this back should mean you're registered.
If you haven't had a form, or you're not sure, then you can make sure you are registered by registering online on the government's website by the 20th November.
Information is drawn from Hope Not Hate's report on Britain's Missing Voters.
