Look out for important voter registration information
Households in St Albans District will soon receive a form asking whether electoral register information for people living at the address is correct.
St Albans City and District Council is sending out forms to 59,600 homes as part of its annual voter registration canvass to help keep the electoral register up-to-date.
Each form will be printed with the information that currently appears on the electoral register for that property. Anyone not listed on the form is not registered to vote. Residents will be asked to check the information and respond by email, post, phone or text, either confirming it is correct or advising the Council of changes. Details on how to respond are included on the form, which also includes a unique security code.
The information will be used to make sure the electoral register is up-to-date. Each individual identified as missing from this first form will be sent a second form inviting them to register. To be able to vote at future elections these individuals will need to register online or by completing and returning this second form.
Elections for St Albans City and District Council and Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner are being held in May 2016. This is an opportunity for residents to make sure that when the elections take place they will be able to take part.
Mike Lovelady, Electoral Registration Officer at St Albans City and District Council, said: “Anyone who wants to vote must be registered. To make sure you can have your say at the elections next year, check the form when it arrives and respond to it as promptly as possible.
“If you’re not currently registered, we’ll send you information explaining how to do this or you can go online to apply to register at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.”
It’s particularly important that anyone who has moved recently looks out for the form and checks whether they are registered.
Electoral Commission research indicates that recent home movers are less likely to be registered than people who have lived at the same address for a long time. It shows that 94% of people in Great Britain who have lived at their property for more than 16 years will be registered. This is significantly higher than the percentage of people who are registered and have lived at an address for less than one year (40%).
The same research indicates that while almost 95% of outright home owners are registered, this is the case for only 63% of private renters.
Kay Jenkins, Head of English regions at the Electoral Commission said: “The annual canvass is an opportunity for people to easily check whether they’re registered. It’s essential for a healthy democracy that everyone who is entitled to vote is able to. For those who need to register, it is now easier than ever with the online system of registration.
“If you have changed address in the last year, it’s particularly likely that you will need to register at your new address, so check the form as soon as it arrives.”
Residents who have questions can contact the elections’ team by email at elections@stalbans.gov.uk or by telephoning 01727 819294.
More information is available on the Council’s website at: https://www.stalbans.gov.uk/voting-and-elections.
Councillor contact:
Cllr Beric Read, Community Engagement and Localism Portfolio Holder
St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 07956 220264
Email: cllr.b.read@stalbans.gov.uk
Contact for the media:
Amanda Wilkinson,
Senior Communications Officer
St Albans City and District Council
Tel: 01727 819317
E-mail: amanda.wilkinson@stalbans.gov.uk
www.stalbans.gov.uk
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/StAlbansCouncil
Notes:
1. 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; checking credit applications.
2. The names and addresses of people on the electoral register will be included in the open register unless they have asked for this information to be removed. Removing details from the open register does not affect the right to vote. 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.
3. To be eligible to register to vote in England a person must be:
• Aged 16 years 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.
4. 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.
5. Full details of the Electoral Commission’s research on the electoral registers can be found online.
Photo: Provided courtesy of the Electoral Commission.