Register to vote!

Residents in the St Albans District are urged to respond to a household enquiry form to secure their vote.

Around 59,000 forms were sent to homes in the District by St Albans City and District Council last month.

The mail drop is part of the Council’s annual voter registration canvass to keep the electoral register up to date.

To be able to vote in in next year’s District Council elections and other polls, your name needs to be on the register.

You should complete the enquiry form as soon as possible or your vote could be lost. More than 33,000 households have already done so.

Everyone who is currently registered to vote at a particular address is listed on the form. Residents need to check that the information it contains is correct. If no changes are required, they must 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.

Mike Lovelady, Electoral Registration Officer for St Albans City and District Council, said: “Thousands of people have already returned their forms and we welcome that.

“However, there are still many out there who haven’t done so. We would remind them to do so now as this is very important. If you are not on the electoral register, you will not be entitled to vote at any future elections.

“It will only take a few minutes to check and confirm that all the details are correct or make any necessary amendments.

“If your name is not on the form, you’re not registered to vote and you then need to let us know that. You will then be sent a second form inviting you to register to vote.

“You will need to complete this to vote in elections or you can register online to vote at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.”

People who have moved address recently are particularly encouraged to check the form. Research by the independent Electoral Commission indicates recent home movers are far less likely to be registered than those that have lived at the same address for a long time.

Across the country, 96% of people who have been at their property for more than sixteen years will be registered. That compares to 27% 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 household enquiry form is one of the easiest ways to find out if you are already registered. There’s lots of helpful information about registering to vote on our website www.yourvotematters.co.uk.”

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. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
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.