Skip to content
Menu

Register of Electors annual canvass

Register of Electors annual canvass 2021

Annual registration forms were delivered to every property in the District from Friday 13 August 2021, to make sure we know who is eligible to register to vote.

New legislation came into force in 2020 and we are required to match the names and address of our registered electors against data held by the Department for Work and Pensions – DWP. We can also compare our electoral data against data held by other departments of the District Council.

As well as this, we can now send some of our canvass communications by email. If you receive an email regarding this year’s canvass, please follow the instructions carefully. Use the security codes included in the email to complete your household response only where a response is necessary or required.

How does the canvass work?

Data matching

The current electoral register is sent securely to DWP to be matched and elector names and address will be matched against information that they hold. We may also match our electoral data against data from other Council departments.

If all electors registered at a property can be matched, the property will be allocated to the matched property route. If there are any electors at a property that cannot be matched, the property will be allocated to the unmatched property route.

Routes of communication

Matched property route:

  • If we have an email address for any elector at your address, we will send them an email asking them to go to our household registration website and confirm that the details for the household are correct - please follow the instructions and enter your two-part security code
  • If you need to make any changes you can do this as well
  • Please respond as quickly as possible by following the instructions - if we do not receive a response, we must post a form to your address
  • If you do not receive an email, your household will receive a form by post - this form will include the names of people currently registered at the property
  • If the details on the form are correct you do not need to do anything - if you would like to add or remove someone from the property, go to the website given on the form and use the security codes to log in and complete that change
  • If you cannot respond online and you need to make changes, you can call the helpline on 01636 650000

Unmatched property route:

  • If we have not been able to match every elector currently registered at a property, a form will be posted - this will include the names of the electors that are currently registered to vote at the property
  • You can respond using the household registration website - you will need your security codes from your form to do this, if you cannot respond online, you can call the helpline on 01636 650000
  • You must respond to this form even if you do not need to make any changes

To avoid costly reminders or a visit by our canvass staff, please respond immediately to avoid us sending further forms. As well as ensuring you have your right to vote, responding immediately will help the Council to save money by not needing to send reminders or having to make personal visits.

If we do not receive a response from the initial form by Friday 3 September 2021 a reminder will be sent.

If we do not receive a response from either the initial or reminder forms by Wednesday 29 September 2021 a second reminder will be sent.

How to respond

You can respond to your form either online, by telephone, text or post.

Online

You can respond online using our online form to confirm all the details on the form are correct or to make any changes, such as adding or removing people or making alterations to the information.

To access the form you must enter the 7 digital securirty code part 1, the 5 digit security code part 2 and the property postcode as printed on your letter.

If you respond online, please do not return the form by post.

Telephone or text

If all the details on your form are correct and there is nobody to add or remove, you can respond by telephone or text.

  • either call the automated free phone 0808 284 1561 and when prompted enter the 7 digit security code part 1 and then the 5 digit security code part 2, or
  • text both your 7 digit security code part 1 and 5 digit security code part 2, separated by a space and nothing else, to 07537 410061

If you respond by telephone or text, please do not return the form by post.

Post

If you cannot respond online, by telephone or text please complete the form and post back to us using the pre-paid envelope provided.

New names to include

If any names are added to the form, the newly added people will receive an individual registration form in the post. This registration form will ask them to either complete their registration online via the government website or by completing the form and returning it to us in the enclosed pre-paid envelope. It is the individual’s responsibility to ensure they complete an application to register so they are registered to vote.

A new Register of Electors will be published from 1 December 2021 and will be used at any elections that may take place until 30 November 2022.

You should register as soon as possible to ensure that you don’t miss out on the chance to vote. For more information on voting please visit the government website.