Local authorities have a legal requirement to conduct an annual ‘canvass’ in order to prepare and publish a revised Register of Electors by 1 December (each year).
From July, every household will receive some form of Canvass Communication to find out if the details on the electoral register are correct.
Your household may be contacted in different ways, such as by:
- post
- phone
- personal visit on the doorstep
If you need to update your details on the electoral register, it’s important that you respond as soon as you can.
What do I need to do?
- Please read your letter carefully to check if you need to respond or not. Your Canvass Communication will state on the letter if a response is required. If any details are incorrect please respond as soon as possible.
- If you have been sent a canvass communication which asks you to make any changes, you need to respond by law, and provide the information requested on the form.
The easiest way to respond is online.
If all the details on the canvass communication are correct, you can confirm there are no changes via householdresponse.com/fylde, phone 0800 197 9871 or by texting NOCHANGE with your security code to 80212.
To confirm no changes by any of these methods you will need your security code which can be located on the front of your canvass communication.
If someone needs to be added or removed visit householdresponse.com/fylde. You will need your security code which can be located on the front of your canvass communication.
Additions
The Canvass Communication you receive is for information and is not a registration form; anyone added will also need to register individually.
Follow the instructions after confirming the details on the website or register at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Alternatively, we will send the individual a further form to complete which will be addressed to them directly.
Removals
If someone has left the property, completing the changes online or returning the form will begin the process of removing their details from the register.
We may need to send some further correspondence to the person to confirm that we will be removing their details from the Register.
Name Change
Once you have amended the details via the online form, or returned the completed paper form, you will be required to supply evidence of the name change, for example marriage certificate or deed poll. Copies of these documents are acceptable and we can accept a scanned and emailed version via electoral@fylde.gov.uk
There is a criminal penalty for failing to provide the information required by the canvass form to the Electoral Registration Officer of a maximum of £1,000.
The penalty for providing false information to an Electoral Registration Officer is imprisonment of up to 51 weeks in England, (on summary conviction) an unlimited fine.
Please note being registered for Council Tax does not automatically mean you’re on the register of electors.
Any new additions will need to register individually online. They can register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Unless your name appears on the electoral register, you won’t be able to vote in an election. If you’re not on the register, you may also find it difficult when applying for mortgages, loans or credit as credit reference agencies use the register to check addresses of applicants.
