CONSERVATIVE councillors have backed an investigation into students who may have voted twice in the General Election.

They highlighted the need for Brighton and Hove City Council to support the Electoral Commission as it looks into claims there were duplicate votes cast in the election, especially by students registered to two addresses.

The possibility of election fraud by people claiming to have voted twice on social media was addressed in a report published by the electoral watchdog last week.

The report stated the commission had received 38 letters from MPs raising constituents’ concerns, as well as 1,013 emails and 15 telephone calls from members of the public referring to reports about the claims.

Nick Taylor, councillor for Withdean ward, said: “The Electoral Commission wrote that up to 70 per cent of those who registered in some areas were duplicate registrations.

“There is clearly a slight element of abuse.

“I am not suggesting this is widespread in the amount of students we have voting.

“That is for the investigation to decide but double voting is a heinous crime.”

Cllr Taylor added that he had been contacted by constituents who raised their concerns about reports of people double voting in the area.

Other groups who may be able to register twice include people required to work away from their normal home address, those who have a second residence for that purpose and people who own and occupy a second home.

Geoffrey Theobald, councillor for Patcham ward, said that people “say they voted twice” but admitted there was no current evidence of this.

Green councillor for Hanover and Elm Grove, Dick Page, said: “There doesn’t appear to be any real evidence that there was double voting.

“Everyone knows that you have one vote.”

The council supported plans to work with local universities and colleges in order to discuss the implementation of a Sheffield model of voter registration in time for the September student intake period.

Sheffield University allows students to register to vote as part of the start-of-term process, with them renewing their registration each year.

In the first year of the scheme, 75 per cent of students (14,481) joined the electoral roll.

Cllr Page said that including this call for support for the investigation in a council proposal to adopt a more efficient voter registration system at local universities and colleges “muddies the waters”.

The commission said nearly two million young people applied to vote in the General Election on June 8.