Young Londoners must register to vote in any upcoming elections, a city-wide campaign has stressed.

The Greater London Authority and anti-racist group HOPE Not Hate are encouraging all eligible voters – particularly under-represented young people – to sign up.

The partnership has now launched London Voter Registration Week (Monday 16 to Sunday 22 September) to spread its message.

It is widely believed that the country will go to the polls this year, after Prime Minister Boris Johnson made a second unsuccessful attempt to push MPs to trigger a General Election last week.

Londoners will also vote in May next year to elect a Mayor and London Assembly members.

Nick Lowles, founder and chief executive of HOPE Not Hate, said it was essential that all eligible voters signed up.

He said: “Politics can often feel fraught nowadays, but registering to vote is one way in which everyone can share in moving us forward.

“Whoever you are, whatever you think, you have a stake in the direction your community goes in, the same as anyone else.

“Registering to vote means taking your place in the corridors of power.”

Young residents in the capital are least likely to be signed up to vote, with just 72 per cent of eligible 16 to 24 year olds registered – compared to 88 per cent of Londoners overall, according to a GLA survey.

Youngsters are also less likely to know if they have registered, with 15 per cent unsure if they are on the electoral roll.

And students are particularly unlikely to be on the register: just 61 per cent are signed up in London.

Overall, the capital has the lowest level of voter registration in the country.

Westminster and Camden are the worst affected boroughs, with 68 and 73 per cent of eligible residents signed up respectively.

This week will see voter registration drives in sixth form colleges, university freshers’ fairs, and places of worship across 20 boroughs, including Harrow, Hillingdon, Lambeth, Newham and Waltham Forest.

Maddy Sala, London Youth Assembly member for Hammersmith and Fulham, said: “Young people are the next generation of activists and politicians.

“We need to get them involved as soon as possible in order to move into a more politically and socially aware generation.”

And Erica Ramos, vice-president of the National Union for Students, and a graduate of Middlesex University in west London, said she “cannot stress enough” the importance of registering to vote.

She said: “There is power in the polls: every election is determined by those who show up.

“Young people can shape the outcome of any election, so make sure you’re registered, and have your say on the future of the UK.”

You can register to vote online at gov.uk/register-to-vote. The process should take around five minutes, and you will need your National Insurance number.