Don’t lose your vote – residents in the Forest of Dean urged to check voter registration details
Forest of Dean residents are being urged to check their electoral registration details or risk losing their chance to vote on decisions that affect them as the Council starts its Annual Canvass to check everyone's voting details are up to date.
The annual canvass allows Forest of Dean District Council to keep the electoral register up to date, to identify who risks losing their voice at elections, and to encourage them to register before it’s too late.
Andrew Knott, Electoral Registration Officer at Forest of Dean District Council, said:
“Keep an eye out for communications from us in the coming weeks which will contain information on what you need to do to make sure your household is fully registered for the next election.
“We would also ask you to respond as soon as you are able so that we don't need to send any follow ups and can save both time and paper.”
Recent home movers in particular are urged to check their details. Electoral Commission research has found that recent home movers are less likely to be registered than those who have lived at the same address for a long time. In Great Britain, 92% of those who have lived in their home for 16 years will be registered, compared with 36% of people who have lived at an address for less than a year.
The Council will be contacting all households via email or post over the next few months with clear instructions asking them to confirm their details or update them.
If you receive an email from [email protected] and the Council is encouraging those people to respond as soon as possible so that it is not necessary to send a follow up paper correspondence. Only one member of the household needs to respond
The emails should not be confused for a scam - all emails will be sent from [email protected] with a subject line of ‘Annual Canvass - Update your household information’.
Residents can find out more about the Annual Canvass on the website at www.fdean.gov.uk/canvass. Anyone with questions about their registration status can contact the council’s electoral services team at [email protected] or by calling 01594 812638.
Contact Information
Forest of Dean Communications Team
Notes to editors
- The Representation of the People Act 1983 places a duty on electoral registration officers to maintain the electoral register for their area and to conduct an annual canvass of all residential properties.
- The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote. The register is used for electoral purposes, such as making sure only eligible people can vote. It is also used for other reasons as specified in law, such as detecting crime (e.g. fraud), calling people for jury service or checking credit applications.
- The open register is an extract of the electoral register, but is not used for elections. It can be bought by any person, company or organisation. For example, it is used by businesses and charities to confirm name and address details. Your name and address will be included in the open register unless you ask for them to be removed. Removing your details from the open register does not affect your right to vote.
- To be eligible to register to vote a person must be:
- aged 16 or over (a person may register to vote 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 state
- British citizens, Irish citizens and qualifying Commonwealth citizens can vote in local elections in England and Northern Ireland, Mayor of London and London Assembly elections, Police and Crime Commissioner elections and general elections.
- EU nationals legally resident in the UK may currently register to vote in local government elections, providing they meet with the age and residency requirements and that they are not legally incapable of voting. The Elections Act 2022 will change the eligibility of some EU citizens to vote. Changes are expected to come into force in May 7 2024, after local elections in England, Police and Crime Commissioners elections in England and Wales in 2024.
- The changes in voting rights for EU nationals will not affect voters from Cyprus, Malta and Ireland.
Full details of the Electoral Commission’s research on the electoral registers can be found on its website.