Automatic electoral registration (AER) has been proposed as policy to increase the number of people on the electoral register in the UK.

The perception that automatic registration could significantly boost participation in democracy has led to cross party support including support by the Political and Constitutional Reform Committee in its 2014 report on voter engagement, and the All Party Parliamentary Group on Democratic Participation.

However, important questions have been raised about the potential impact of automatic registration on privacy, data protection and security.

The Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust has commissioned Toby James and Paul Bernal of the University of East Anglia report to consider the possible implications of this reform.