Electoral registration
Register to Vote - Annual Canvass 2010
Each year between August and October, the Council undertakes a canvass of all households. From the information provided a revised and accurate Register of Electors will be produced. This is a list of all those who are entitled to vote at elections in the forthcoming year.
Annual canvass process and timetable
- Annual household registration forms delivered to all properties in Huntingdonshire in August.
- In September a reminder form will be sent to all non-responding households.
- From the beginning of October to mid-November, canvass staff will visit all households who have not completed and returned their reminder form.
- The new register will be published on 1st December 2010.
What do I need to do when I receive a canvass form at my property?
When you receive your form it will already have your household registration details on it from the information on the current electoral register.
If the information pre-printed on the form is correct you can respond by -
- calling the freephone number printed on the form, following the instructions given and using the personal security codes printed on the form
- registering on-line using the details on the canvass form
- send a SMS text message using the number printed on the form
- signing and returning the form to Electoral Services in the reply paid envelope provided,
If the information on the form is incorrect or incomplete the form must be used to make any necessary changes -
- electors who do not live at the address can be removed by crossing out their details
- new electors can be added by writing their details on the form
- registration details can be changed by putting an 'x' in the appropriate box or crossing out a pre-printed 'x' where necessary.
Please note that any changes to the details in the Edited Register or requests for Postal/Proxy voting columns can also be made during your telephone or internet registration.
What happens if I don't return the form?
If you are not on the register you will not be able to vote. You may also find it difficult to obtain credit for a loan or mortgage, as credit companies and banks use the register to check information you give them about where you live.
If you do not receive a registration form please contact the Electoral Services office via the link on the right or on 01480 388017.
Access to the Electoral Register
We often receive enquiries about the Electoral Register. The Register is held at your local Council Office, who you should contact if you are unsure if you are on the Register or would like to check details on this. The Electoral Register lists the name and address of everyone who has registered to vote. By law, your local authority has to make the Electoral Register available for anyone to look at. Until now, any company, organisation or person could buy a copy of the Register. But the Government has changed the law so that now you have some choice about who can buy details of your name and address. Under the changes there are two versions of the Register: the full version and the edited version.
Two versions of the Register
The full Register
Has the names and addresses of everyone registered to vote and is updated every month. Anyone can look at it, but copies can only be supplied for certain purposes, such as elections and law enforcement. Credit reference agencies are also allowed to use the full Register, but only to check your name and address if you are applying for credit, and to help stop 'money laundering'. Anyone who has a copy of the Register will be committing a criminal offence if they unlawfully pass on information from it. You do not have a choice about your name and address being on this Register.
The edited Register
Will be available for general sale and can be used for any purpose. You can choose not to be on it. It will be kept separate from the full Register and updated every month. The edited Register can be bought by any person, company or organisation and could be used for different purposes such as checking your identity and commercial activities such as marketing.
The choice you have to make
If you do put a cross in the box on the voter registration form, your name and address will only appear on the full Register. If you do not put a cross in the box on the voter registration form, your name will also appear on the edited version of the Register, which anyone can buy. This means anyone can use your details for any purpose.
Questions?
If you have any questions relating to the Electoral Registration Process or the Register itself please use our 'Electoral Registration Questions Page' linked on the left.