Don’t lose your voice
Residents in St Albans District are urged to make sure their electoral registration details are up to date so they do not lose their voice.
It is important that residents make sure they can vote with local elections taking place in May next year.
St Albans City and District Council along with other local authorities is required to conduct an annual cavass to keep the electoral register up to date.
This exercise identifies any residents who are not registered so that they can be encouraged to do so.
The Council estimates that no changes will be needed to the electoral register at around 80% of the District’s 60,000-plus properties.
They are currently being contacted by email or letter to confirm the details held on the register. There will be instructions on how to inform the Council of any changes that need to be made.
The remaining households, where it is suspected there has been change, will be sent a canvass form with instructions on how to respond.
If there is no reply, a reminder will be sent and a canvasser may visit the property if there is still no response.
Anyone who is not registered can do so online in just a few minutes at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
Amanda Foley, the Council’s Electoral Registration Officer, said:
We are asking residents to keep a look out for messages from us about the electoral register.
We want to make sure we have the right information about who can vote at every address in the District.
All people have to do is follow the instructions that are sent out to ensure they are able to vote at forthcoming elections.
People who have moved recently are particularly encouraged to look out for the voter registration messages and check the details.
Research by the Electoral Commission shows that recent home movers are far less likely to be registered than those who have lived at the same address for a long time.
Across Great Britain, 92% of people who have been at their property for more than sixteen years will be registered, compared to 36% of people who have lived at an address for less than one year.
Melanie Davidson, Head of Support and Improvement at the Electoral Commission, said:
It’s really important that everyone who is entitled to vote is able to do so.
Checking the messages that you will get from your local authority is the easiest way to see if you’re registered to vote. If you’re not, make sure you provide the necessary information to your local authority when it is needed and register to vote online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
Any residents who have any questions can contact the registration team at electoralregistration@stalbans.gov.uk or by phoning 01727 819294.
Media contact: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727-819533; john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.