Reminder to respond to household enquiry form
Residents in the St Albans District are reminded to complete a household enquiry form to ensure they are registered to vote at future elections.
Around 60,000 forms were sent to households by St Albans City and District Council last month. This is part of the annual voter registration canvass that keeps the electoral register up to date.
The majority of households have replied – but some 25,000 households have yet to do so.
They have been sent reminders and if they do not act, they risk not being included on the register and losing their right to vote.
People’s names need to be on the register in order for them to vote at elections such as next year’s District Council and Parish Council ballots.
The household enquiry form lists everyone currently registered to vote at a particular address. Residents need to check that the information is correct and that no names are missing or wrongly included.
If no changes are needed, they should confirm this online at www.householdresponse.com/stalbans.
Alternatively, they can do so by free phone or text with full details of these procedures included in the form.
If the form needs to be amended, this can also be done on the website or by post, using a freepost envelope which is enclosed with the form.
Michael Lovelady, Electoral Registration Officer for St Albans City and District Council, said:
It’s important that residents respond, so we can make sure we have the right details on the electoral register for every address in the District.
I would ask everyone who hasn’t done so already to respond as soon as they can.
People who have moved address recently are particularly encouraged to check the details on the form..
Research by the independent Electoral Commission indicates that recent home movers are far less likely to be registered than those that have lived at the same address for a long time.
Across Great Britain, 94% of people who have been at their property for more than sixteen years will be registered, compared to 40% of people who have lived at an address for less than one year.
Anyone not registered can do so online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. It only takes a few minutes.
Residents who have questions can contact the elections’ team by email at elections@stalbans.gov.uk or by telephoning 01727 819294.
Contact for the media:
John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, St Albans City & District Council
Tel: 01727 296130, E-mail: john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.
Notes:
1. St Albans City and District Council elections are taking place in May 2019 with around one third of the seats to be contested
2. The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote in public elections. The register is used for electoral purposes, such as making sure only eligible people can vote. It is also used for other limited purposes specified in law, such as: detecting crime (e.g. fraud), calling people for jury service or checking credit applications.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. British citizens, Irish citizens and qualifying citizens of Commonwealth countries (including Cyprus and Malta), as well as citizens of other EU member states can vote in local government elections and Police and Crime Commissioner elections in England and Wales.