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Wales is set to become the first country in the UK to trial automatic voter registration.

Four local authorities will be taking part in a pilot scheme, which will use data to identify potential voters.

The aim of the scheme is to make voting easier, boosting democracy.

The pilots will test different approaches to registering voters without requiring formal applications.

Carmarthenshire, Powys, Gwynedd, and Newport councils will be involved in the pilot.

People identified through the pilots will soon receive notification letters explaining the process and their options, including the right to opt out, with a 60-day response period before being added to the register.

These new electors will not, for privacy reasons, be added to the open version of the local government register, which is available for marketing purposes.

Jayne Bryant, the Welsh Government’s secretary for local government, said: “By removing barriers to registration, this pioneering work is helping to ensure everyone can participate in our democratic process, particularly young people and traditionally underrepresented groups.”

She continued: “This initiative follows our extension of voting rights to 16 and 17-year-olds and qualifying foreign nationals for Senedd and local elections, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to a more inclusive democracy in Wales.”

The pilot schemes will be looked at by the Electoral Commission by the end of the year. The Welsh Government will then look into the findings before deciding whether or not to press ahead with introducing the scheme nationwide.