The Homeless Are Encouraged To Register To Vote

Staff at a bar in Bristol are helping the city’s homeless to register to vote ahead of the upcoming general election.

Rough sleepers are being invited to fill out registration forms at the Bristol Beer Factory and use the bar’s address as their own if necessary. According to the Electoral Commission, people with no fixed address can register an address where they spend “a lot” of time or have some connection.

Domhnaill Barnes, from the bar, said it has had a “huge amount of interest”. Mr Barnes, said the scheme has only been running for a few days but they have already had a “good number of people” come in and register.

“We’re in a central location and it seemed like an easy thing for us to try and do,” he said. “I didn’t know how many people were going to do it but the fact that anybody has, is absolutely fantastic.”

Before setting up the scheme, he said he had “no idea” that homeless people could register to vote. “Most people we’ve spoken to didn’t know and assumed they couldn’t vote that was the general consensus in the homeless community,” he said. So if nothing else, we can educate people and just make them aware that not having an address is not an impediment to getting involved in the democratic process.”

Along with a registration form, people who use the service will also be given a free hot drink. “It’s not just people who are sleeping rough, the first lady who came in was sofa surfing,” he said. But if they don’t have an address than we’re happy to use one of our company addresses.”

Bristol City Council, said the bar is part of the Arnolfini building and the company is offering the Arnolfini address to those with no fixed abode. A spokesperson commented: “The actions of Arnolfini are completely legal and the council approves of these actions.”

The deadline to register to vote is just before midnight, on 26 November.