Slough Borough Council is asking residents to be aware that the annual electoral registration canvass has started.
The first stage of the annual canvass, which is required by law, has already begun. Some residents will have received an email to find out if there have been any changes to who is eligible to be registered to vote at the address where a response was required.
Letters addressed to the occupier will be sent out to most homes from 17 August. As part of the canvass, the council’s electoral services team has undertaken a national data match with records held by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). If all the household data matches with the DWP records and have not responded to the email sent last month, the resident will receive a letter where no action is required if there are no changes.
Where at least one member of the household did not match with DWP records, a form will be sent out in August. Householders will need to respond to that communication whether there are changes or no changes.
Josie Wragg, Slough’s Electoral Registration Officer, said: “This is one thing residents should not put off.
“It takes just a few minutes to either confirm the details held on the electoral register are correct which means you are able to vote for local councillors in your area; or to register if you are living at a new address.
“During this year’s annual canvass, we will be doing things a little bit differently due to the ongoing public health situation, in that we will be contacting people via letter, email or the phone over the next few months.”
Residents are required to provide the full name of each person in the household and whether they want to appear on the open register or not. People who have recently moved home are reminded to update their details at their current address.
If the council does not receive the required response, follow up forms will be sent in September, before canvassers will be sent to knock on doors from October until November.
There are more than 55,000 properties in Slough and information about how to confirm, update or register on the electoral register will happen over the next few months.
The annual canvass is required to make updates to the electoral register which is used to ensure residents can vote in elections. The new register will be published on 1 December.
The register is also important for people who want to obtain credit or a mortgage as credit reference agencies use the register to confirm details. The next local election will take place in May 2022.
To register to vote, visit www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Residents have to be eligible and be:
- aged 16 or over (a person may register at 16, but may not vote until they are 18)
- a British or qualifying Commonwealth citizen who has leave to enter and remain in the UK or does not require such leave
- a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or other European Union (EU) member states.
Find more information on the canvass here.