Register now, vote later

Electoral Services Manager, Peter Stanyon explains, "By law we have to check the details of every household in the borough each year to update the Electoral Register and reflect the changes in our borough.  Some people will have moved away, others will have died, while we expect to add many who have turned 18 or moved into the borough.

"We also ask for the details of young people aged 16 and upwards on the canvass forms but hold their names with the date of birth so that they only become eligible to vote when they reach their 18th birthday. 

"We try to make every effort to gather the names of all people who are eligible to vote and ask everyone to look out for the voter registration form arriving through doors this week."

Registering to vote is a simple matter. The forms list information currently held on the register and it is for households to confirm that this is correct or to alter as applicable - and then return the information to the council. It is a free post service so there is not even any postage to pay. This information can also be confirmed by telephone, online or by text if there are no changes to be made.
 
Deputy council leader, Achilleas Georgiou, said, "I cannot stress enough how important it is for people who are eligible to vote to make sure that they are on the register. If you are a British, Commonwealth or European citizen, 18 or over and live in the borough, you are eligible to vote - but your name must be on the register."

He continued, "This year we are making a huge effort to get people to register to vote. The quicker they respond the better - it saves the council money by not having to make follow up visits.

"It also means that we can demonstrate that our population is growing and that as a borough we need more financial government support to keep council tax down.

"But most important is the chance to influence how we are governed - so I am appealing to everyone not to throw away the chance to vote when elections come round - do it now get on the register."

The canvass goes on until the end of November and the register will be published for 1st December.

Registration rates this year are particularly important because the figures will be used by the Boundary Commission when reviewing the parliamentary constituency boundaries before the next general election.