<div dir="ltr">---------- Forwarded message ----------<span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"></span><div class="gmail_quote"><b></b><div link="blue" vlink="purple" lang="EN-GB"><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"></span></p><table style="width:442.5pt" width="590" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="width:285.0pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm" valign="top" width="380"><table style="width:285.0pt" width="380" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr style="height:18.0pt"><td colspan="2" style="width:285.0pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 10.5pt;height:18.0pt" width="380"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#999999"> </span></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" style="width:285.0pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm" width="380"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><img src="cid:image001.png@01D04095.968137E0" alt="title-magenta" height="120" width="380"><u></u><u></u></span></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" style="width:285.0pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm" width="380"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:3.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><img src="cid:image002.jpg@01D04095.968137E0" alt="cid:image014.jpg@01D03A3B.558A8FD0" height="158" width="380"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:3.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p></td></tr><tr style="height:20.25pt"><td colspan="2" style="width:285.0pt;background:#004775;padding:0cm 10.5pt 0cm 10.5pt;height:20.25pt" width="380"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:white">Issue 3 –  27 January 2015<u></u><u></u></span></b></p></td></tr><tr><td style="width:7.5pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm" width="10"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"> <u></u><u></u></span></p></td><td style="width:277.5pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm" width="370"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">Resources! Resources! Resources! It’s nearly #NVRD!<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">Hello all. Welcome to our latest update, which we’ve timed to give you all some ideas about what you can do to promote National Voter Registration Day (#NVRD) on Thursday 5 February next week. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">We know that a lot of you will be focussing your activity online. So to help, we have created a number of template resources that our partners and Electoral Registration Officers can use on the day to show their support for NVRD and help get people registered.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">Check them out below:<u></u><u></u></span></p><p style="margin-left:36.0pt"><u></u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#1f497d"><span>·<span style="font:7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;">          </span></span></span><u></u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;"><a href="http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/word_doc/0016/181150/Social-media-Facebook-and-Twitter-posts-for-National-Voter-Registrat-Final.docx" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Social media – Facebook and Twitter</span></i></a></span><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d"> – posts for NVRD (includes Welsh and English versions)</span></i><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;color:#1f497d"><u></u><u></u></span></i></p><p style="margin-left:36.0pt"><u></u><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Symbol;color:#1f497d"><span>·<span style="font:7.0pt &quot;Times New Roman&quot;">          </span></span></span><u></u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;"><a href="http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/word_doc/0016/181051/Suggested-blog-for-National-Voter-Registration-Day-FINAL.DOCX" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">NVRD suggested blog</span></i></a></span><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d"> – (English and Welsh versions) </span></i><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;color:#1f497d"><u></u><u></u></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d">In addition, our popular YouTube advert – ‘Ballot Box man’ has had a refresh so that it directs people to register at Gov.uk/register-to-vote <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d">Ballot Box man ad (English):<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;"><a href="http://youtu.be/aqgi2BzcrOc" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;" lang="EN">http://youtu.be/aqgi2BzcrOc</span></a></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;" lang="EN"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d" lang="EN">Ballot Box man ad (Welsh):<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;"><a href="http://youtu.be/6zd53zI3sHI" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;" lang="EN">http://youtu.be/6zd53zI3sHI</span></a></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;" lang="EN"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d" lang="EN">Young people in particular have found the ad fun in the past. So please do post links to the video through Facebook and Twitter on National Voter Registration Day.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d" lang="EN"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d" lang="EN">Remember as well that </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;"><a href="http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/179552/UK-general-election-2015-partnership-pack.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;" lang="EN">our partnership pack</span></a></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d" lang="EN"> provides some useful hints and tips if you are planning to hold a registration drive on NVRD.</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d">We’d love to know what your plans are for #NVRD. So do drop us a line if you are planning anything in particular on or around the day. We’d love to know and we can share your activities on our own social media accounts on the day.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">Also, if there are any other template materials that you think may be helpful to you, please get in touch and we can see if we can provide them.<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12.0pt"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">Overseas campaign launch!<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">Do you have staff, customers or even friends or family living overseas? If they are UK citizens and were registered to vote before leaving the UK in the last 15 years they are likely to still be able to vote at the General Election in May.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">On 2 February, the Commission will launch an online campaign across the 20 countries that UK expats are most likely to live to make them aware that they may be able to vote and to encourage them to register to do so. Partners such as British Corner Shop and The Connexion Newspaper are already helping us reach out to this group of potential voters.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">But we would welcome everyone’s help. So if you have channels that are particularly focussed at UK citizens overseas, please do use them to spread the word. Or if you just have friends or family members that have emigrated, make sure they know they may still be able to vote. They can found out more on </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;"><a href="http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">www.aboutmyvote.co.uk</span></a></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">As with our domestic campaign, we have prepared template resources for you to use, which you can find </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;"><a href="http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/find-information-by-subject/electoral-registration/partnership-working/resources-for-partners/overseas-voters" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">here</span></a></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"> </span><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:red"><u></u><u></u></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:red"><u></u> <u></u></span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">5 February is also Overseas Voter Registration Day, so do also use any channels you have that are more focussed at people overseas to get the message out there.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">Again, if there are any other template materials that you think may be helpful to you to reach overseas voters in particular, please get in touch and we can see if we can provide them.<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d">National advertising launch<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d">On 2 February our new national advertising campaign launches with a series of online display adverts. These will highlight the fact that if potential voters are not registered they will not be able to vote at the UK General Election on 7 May and will drive people directly to the <a href="http://gov.uk/register-to-vote" target="_blank">gov.uk/register-to-vote</a> page. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d">We will be testing various different adverts over the next few weeks to find out which get the highest response rates. We will then focus on these routes when our campaign activity increases from 16 March, which is when our national TV advertising campaign will also launch. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d">Updated resources<u></u><u></u></span></u></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d">We have published </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;"><a href="http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/find-information-by-subject/electoral-registration/partnership-working/resources-for-partners/young-people" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">updated public awareness resources</span></a></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d"> to help you encourage people to register in time for the General Election. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d">They carry the ‘Your vote matters, make sure you’re in’ branding, which we’re using across all our UKPGE activity. If you haven’t already, why not put up posters in your offices and add a web button on your website, which will send people directly to <a href="https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote</a>?<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#1f497d"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><img src="cid:image003.gif@01D04095.968137E0" alt="News in brief" height="45" width="370" border="0"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a name="14b556220c0f54bd_AFD01617F252C97D"></a><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">Operation Black Vote launch campaign<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">Operation Black Vote (OBV) have announced today – with 100 days until the General Election – that they’ll be taking a 43 foot state-of-the-art bus on tour across Great Britain to get more Black and Minority Ethnic communities on the electoral register.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">More information about the OBV eXpress will be on our website soon and you can also find out more </span><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;"><a href="http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/journalist/electoral-commission-media-centre/news-releases-campaigns/bus-tour-launched-to-encourage-black-and-minority-ethnic-bme-communities-to-register-to-vote" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">here</span></a></span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">.</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:red"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">If you are holding any events do let us know and we can highlight them on the online calendar we will be putting up on our website soon.</span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><br></span><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><b><img src="cid:image005.gif@01D04095.968137E0" alt="News in brief" height="1" width="365" border="0"></b></span><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a name="14b556220c0f54bd_F61934C104FAF78A"></a><a name="14b556220c0f54bd_7C365A8317907DD0"></a><a name="14b556220c0f54bd_380D1F0CD396B4F8"></a><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">Check out our blog <u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">You may have seen that the Commission recently launched a new blog, and you can keep up to date with it </span><b><span style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;"><a href="https://ukelectoralcommission.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">here</span></a></span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">. We currently plan to update it with at least one new blog every week, with additional blogs when there are particularly interesting issues to raise. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">The blog is an opportunity for us to engage with a wide range of groups with an interest in elections and wider democratic issues more directly, so look out for guest blogs, announcements on consultations, reports and the odd webinar and Q&amp;A session too. It is also an opportunity for us to informally discuss our work, ideas and a whole host of other issues. We’d be happy to host guest blogs from our partners on what you are doing to get help people registered, so if you have some specific activity coming up do let us know. We would be delighted to hear from you!<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"></span></b><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><br> <img src="cid:image005.gif@01D04095.968137E0" alt="News in brief" height="1" width="365" border="0"><u></u><u></u></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td style="width:7.5pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm" width="10"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p></td><td style="width:142.5pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm" valign="top" width="190"><table style="width:142.5pt" width="190" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td style="padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm"><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;text-decoration:none"><img src="cid:image006.gif@01D04095.968137E0" alt="The Electoral Commission" height="146" width="190" border="0"></span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><u></u><u></u></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm"><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/news-and-media/whats-on" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;text-decoration:none"><img src="cid:image007.gif@01D04095.968137E0" alt="Events" height="45" width="190" border="0"></span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><u></u><u></u></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="background:#fcf2f7;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm" valign="top"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:2.85pt"><a name="14b556220c0f54bd_2093A4E0F20C1EDE"></a><b><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">National Voter Registration Day and Overseas Registration Day<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#666666"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:2.85pt"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#666666">National Voter Registration Day is a national week of action to get as many people registered to vote as possible. In 2015 this will be held on <b>Thursday 5 February.</b> <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:2.85pt"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#666666"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:2.85pt"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#666666">The Electoral Commission will be holding <b>Overseas Registration Day</b> on the same date to encourage as many expatriates to register as possible. <u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:2.85pt"><a name="14b556220c0f54bd_3D21C20086484C3D"></a><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><img src="cid:image008.gif@01D04095.968137E0" alt="Events" height="1" width="190" border="0"><u></u><u></u></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="background:white;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><u></u> <u></u></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm"><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/publications-and-research" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;text-decoration:none"><img src="cid:image009.gif@01D04095.968137E0" alt="Publications" height="46" width="190" border="0"></span></a><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><u></u><u></u></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="background:#fcf2f7;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm"><p class="MsoNormal"><a name="14b556220c0f54bd_BD75508C000D4626"></a><b><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">Partnership pack<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#666666"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#666666">Read our </span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;"><a href="http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/179552/UK-general-election-2015-partnership-pack.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">partnership pack</span></a></span><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#666666"> for everything you need to know about getting involved in voter registration.<u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><img src="cid:image008.gif@01D04095.968137E0" alt="Publications" height="1" width="190" border="0"></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;color:#004775"><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a name="14b556220c0f54bd_DD47065D4095CC51"></a><b><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775">New resources<u></u><u></u></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#666666"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;"><a href="http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/find-information-by-subject/electoral-registration/partnership-working/resources-for-partners" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Resources</span></a></span><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#666666"> to help you publicise the need to register to vote quickly and easily. </span><a name="14b556220c0f54bd_06F3D3793EA5C18D"></a><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#004775"><img src="cid:image008.gif@01D04095.968137E0" alt="Publications" height="1" width="190" border="0"><u></u><u></u></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td style="width:7.5pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm" width="10"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><img src="cid:image010.png@01D04095.968137E0" alt=" " height="1" width="10" border="0"><u></u><u></u></span></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan="4" style="padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm" valign="top"><table style="width:300.0pt" width="400" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr style="height:105.0pt"><td style="width:7.5pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm;height:105.0pt" width="10"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"> <u></u><u></u></span></p></td><td style="width:277.5pt;background:#fae5ef;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 10.5pt;height:105.0pt" width="370"><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333">The Electoral Commission</span></b><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><br>3 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8YZ <br>Tel: 020 7271 0704<br></span><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">partners</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;"><a href="mailto:editor@electoralcommission.org.uk" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333">@electoralcommission.org.uk</span></a></span><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><br><br></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;"><a href="http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk" target="_blank"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333">www.electoralcommission.org.uk</span></b></a></span><span style="font-size:8.5pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#333333"><br>© The Electoral Commission <u></u><u></u></span></p></td><td style="width:7.5pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm;height:105.0pt" width="10"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"> <u></u><u></u></span></p></td><td style="width:7.5pt;padding:0cm 0cm 0cm 0cm;height:105.0pt" width="10"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"> <u></u><u></u></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;color:#eff7ef"><u></u> <u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p><br></div></div></div><br></div>