Ken's core backers are less likely to be on electoral roll

Ken Livingstone key supporters - young and ethnic minority Londoners - are less likely to be on the electoral roll than backers of Boris Johnson, according to watchdogs.

In findings that could have a huge influence on the mayoral race, the Electoral Commission found that older people and those living in outer boroughs are much more likely to be registered to vote.

The study, carried out for the commission by pollsters NOP to check the accuracy of the capital's electoral roll, found 27 per cent of Londoners aged between 25 and 34 who were eligible to vote were not registered. A further 20 per cent of under-25s were not on the register. This contrasts with only five per cent of the over-64s and eight per cent of the 55-64 age group.

The overwhelming reason given from those not registered was that they "hadn't got round to it yet".

The last date to register for Thursday's election was two weeks ago and some Labour strategists worry their turnout will be badly hit if key groups fail to take part. Perhaps just as alarming for them was that some 16 per cent of those who thought they were registered were found by NOP to be missing from the electoral roll. Those who rent and those from ethnic minorities were less likely to be registered than homeowners and white people.

The study found that every Labour-run, inner-city borough had poor registration figures. In Hackney, 29 per cent of those questioned were eligible to vote but unregistered, in Haringey 24 per cent, Newham and Tower Hamlets 23 per cent, and Lambeth 25 per cent.

Labour councils had on the whole worse registration figures than Conservative councils in outer London. Exceptions were Tory-run Westminster with 26 per cent unregistered voters and Wandsworth with 22 per cent.

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