SOUTHAMPTON residents are being called upon to register to vote ahead of the local elections in May. A third of the city’s council seats will be up for grabs as voters flood to the polls, but civic officials are worried that some people might not have signed up, or be unaware they aren’t registered. Currently 168,799 locals are signed up. The closing date to be registered is April 17, ahead of the polling day on May 3. National research shows that young people, students and recent home movers are less likely to be registered to vote than other groups. In England and Wales, 3 out of 10 18-24 year olds are not registered to vote and 63 per cent of private renters are registered compared to 94 per cent of outright homeowners. Mark Heath, Southampton’s returning officer, said: “Registering to vote is easy and only takes a few minutes online. If you’re not registered you won’t be able to have your say on issues that directly affect your day-to-day life in Southampton. “If you don’t know if you are registered or not you can e-mail elections@southampton.gov.uk or call our team on 023 8083 2245 and we’ll be happy to check for you.” This comes as the Electoral Commission launches a campaign ‘Got 5?’ in a bid to get more people to the polls. It estimates that 13 per cent of people in the South East are not registered to vote, equating to around 720,000-870,000 people. The campaign is particularly targeted at people under 34, and highlights that you can quickly register in five minutes while waiting for the kettle to boil or running a bath. Philippa Saray, Electoral Commission regional manager, said: “With 29 local authorities in the South East holding local elections in May it’s vital that people register to vote before the April 17 deadline. “We’re keen to see people using the time that may otherwise be wasted, like waiting for a bus, to go online and complete a form in less than five minutes. It’s quick, simple and really important.” To register to vote, visit: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote