Don’t lose your chance to vote

Local residents are being warned not to lose their voice on matters that affect them by completing their annual canvass form and returning it to the City Council as soon as possible.

With City Council elections taking place in May 2019, this is an important opportunity for residents to make sure they can take part.

The form ensures that the Council can keep the electoral register up-to-date and identify any residents who are not registered so that they can be added to the register. Doing so will allow people to take part in any future elections.

John Street, Electoral Registration Officer, said:“It’s important that residents respond as soon as possible, so we can make sure we have the right details on the electoral register for every address in the city.

“To make sure you are able to vote at elections taking place next year, simply check the form when it arrives and respond as soon as you can.

“If you’re not currently registered, your name will not appear on the form. If you want to register, the easiest way is online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote, or we’ll send you information explaining how to do this in the post. In any case, you will still need to complete the form and send it back to us.”

People who have moved address recently are particularly encouraged to keep an eye out for the form and check the details. 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.

For more information contact the local registration team at electoral.services@exeter.gov.uk or 01392 265141.