Annual canvass – July to November 2023
What is the annual canvass?
The canvass happens each year to ensure the electoral register is up to date and includes all those who are eligible to vote. You need to be registered to be able to vote in any election or referendum for which you are eligible. The electoral register is also used by credit reference agencies, so it is important that you are correctly registered at the property where you currently live.
How it works
All local authorities are required to data match their current registers with the records held by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and to conduct local data matching where possible. We recently conducted the national data matching exercise with the DWP and matched our data with Council Tax records. The results showed that over 79% of all households in Central Bedfordshire have matched.
Properties that match 100% with the DWP and who have an email will be sent an email in early July asking them to confirm that all the information is the same. You should reply to this email as soon as possible to avoid us spending money on posting a letter to you.
The email will be sent out during the week commencing 10 July 2023 from cbcelectoralregistration@notifications.service.gov.uk and will include information on how to respond. Please note the email is sent via GOV.UK Notify.
Register Securely is the portal that we are using to record all canvass responses.
From 21 August, all remaining households will receive a letter identifying who is currently registered at the property.
If your letter begins with “Is the electoral register information correct for this address?”
✅ Information correct
If the information is correct, do nothing. No response means that the information we hold on the electoral register is correct.
❌ Information incorrect
If the information isn’t correct, you need to let us know. The letter tells how you can do this online, and gives you security codes, unique to your household, which you need to use.
Please note
If you’ve added a new person at your address, this person must then register to vote. Adding their name to canvass communication does not automatically register them to vote.
If you need any help, please contact us:
Telephone: 0300 300 8008
Email: electoral.registration@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
If your letter begins with “You must respond so we can check who is eligible to register to vote”
You’ll get this letter if we can’t match everyone in your household (either individually or together).
✅ Information correct
If the information is correct, you need to confirm this. The letter tells how you can do this online, and gives you security codes, unique to your household, which you need to use.
❌ Information incorrect
f the information isn’t correct, you need to let us know. The letter tells how you can do this online, and gives you security codes, unique to your household, which you need to use.
Why the information may not be correct
The information may not be correct because you:
- recently moved house
- recently changed your name
- are not registered at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
- are not registered for Council Tax
- have a different name format from the name on file, such as initials instead of your full name
Please note
If you’ve added a new person at your address, this person must then register to vote. Adding their name to the canvass communication does not automatically register them to vote.
If you need any help, please contact us:
Telephone: 0300 300 8008
Email: electoral.registration@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk
If you don’t respond to this letter in August
To avoid us wasting your council tax on unnecessary postage please try and respond to the first letter. However, if for some reason you do not receive the letter or we don’t hear from you we will post you a canvass form, with a pre-paid postage envelope, for you to complete and return. If you do not respond to this, we are required to conduct a personal canvass; this could be a phone call or a visit to your home.
What next?
If you’ve added a new person at your address, this person must then register to vote.
Adding their name does not automatically register them to vote
After you register online, your identity will be checked with the Department for Work and Pensions’ records. If these don’t match, we will require further evidence of your identity (such as a copy of your passport).
Please note: paying Council Tax does not automatically add you to the electoral register.
We plan to publish our revised register on 1 December 2023.
Visit the Electoral Commission’s website for more information. You can also find out more about the amendments to government legislation and changes to the regulations.