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General election: Brewery lets homeless people use address to register to vote

‘Having no fixed abode does NOT prevent you from registering to vote’

Sabrina Barr
Friday 22 November 2019 16:17 GMT
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What to watch out for in a pre-Christmas election

A brewery in Bristol is helping homeless people to register to vote by letting them use its address on registration forms.

The deadline to register to vote for the upcoming General Election on 12 December is 11.59pm on Tuesday 26 November, or 5pm if you are registering to vote by post.

Those who do not have a permanent residence may not think they can register to vote in the election, as a postal vote requires a postal voting pack to be sent to the address of your choosing and then sent to an Electoral Office by 10pm on 12 December.

However, the Bristol Beer Factory has devised an innovative way to ensure that no one’s voice is unheard on election day, by allowing people who are homeless to use its address at the Arnolfini art centre, where one of its bars is located, when registering to vote.

“To register, just come in and ask for a form, fill it out and return it to us before the 26 November and we will ensure you are registered to vote,” the brewery tweeted.

The brewery is also offering a free hot drink to all who use its address to register to vote.

In a further tweet, the Bristol Beer Factory thanked people for spreading the word about its electoral initiative.

“Having no fixed address does NOT prevent you from registering to vote. It’s great to see engagement in this small, inclusive initiative,” the bar stated.

Several people have praised the Bristol Beer Factory for helping rough sleepers have their say in the election.

“That is utterly awesome! Well done folks,” one person wrote on Twitter.

“This is an excellent idea!” someone else remarked.

For all the latest news on the General Election, click here.

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