More ways must be found to entice voters to cast their ballot at the next election, the head of the electoral commission has said.

Following the publication earlier this week of the report into the June general election, Sam Younger has called for new ways for people to vote to ensure the health of our democratic system.

In an article for the current edition of the House Magazine, Younger says the commission is determined to press forward with plans for making voting easier and more "user friendly".

"The registration system needs updating in order to make it more accessible to voters, through the use of information technology," he writes. "We must promote the availability of means by which voters can participate without having to visit a polling station. The future lies in finding secure means of extending the opportunities beyond postal voting to using telephones and the internet."

He also argues that voter engagement must be a key priority if a repeat of the dismal turnout that saw fewer than six out of every 10 eligible voters bother to take part is to be avoided.

Pointing to recent violent events in Genoa and Stockholm between police and anti-globalisation protestors, Younger says the poor voting numbers need to be addressed by all politicians.

"This is in sharp contrast to the apparently growing tendency for people to make their voice heard through a variety of forms of direct action. Politicians and commentators of all persuasions have rightly identified voter engagement as a key priority for the future," he says.

He said the commission could bring in a raft of measures to make voting easier but the electorate would ultimately only be motivated by the actions of the political parties.

"It is above all the quality and persuasiveness of the policies put forward by the political parties and their ability to motivate voters that will determine future trends," he argues.