Breckland residents are being urged to keep an eye on the post for this year’s annual canvass form.
Every year we conduct an annual canvass to make sure that all the details on the electoral register are correct and up to date, ensuring everybody who is eligible will be able to vote in future elections.
After a great response to the first phase of the canvass which saw thousands of residents respond to the canvass by email, the second phase will shortly get underway with households which have not yet responded sent canvass forms through the post.
Rory Ringer, Deputy Electoral Registration Officer at Breckland Council, said: “We’d like to thank everyone who responds to their annual canvass promptly every year as it helps us save both time and public money. We have a legal responsibility to make every attempt to contact you, so if you respond quickly it reduces our need to issue reminder letters, follow up with a phone call, or visit you in person. If you’ve not already been sent or responded to an email from us, please look out for the annual canvass form in the post and follow the instructions on how to respond. It is quickest and easiest to respond online using the security code.”
After receiving their letter, to respond online residents should go to www.householdresponse.com/breckland and follow the instructions on their form. Anyone who doesn’t wish to respond online can respond by phone call, text, or by post.
Anyone not currently registered to vote will not be listed on the form sent to their address. For anyone who wants to register to vote, the easiest way to do so is online.
People who have moved recently are particularly encouraged to look out for the annual canvass messages from Breckland Council and check the details. Research by the Electoral Commission, published in 2019, indicates that recent home movers are far less likely to be registered than those who have lived at the same address for a long time. Across Great Britain, 92% of people who have been at their property for more than sixteen years will be registered, compared to 36% 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 messages that you will get from your local authority is the easiest way to see if you’re registered to vote. If you’re not, make sure you provide the necessary information to your local authority when it is needed and register to vote online.”
Information on registering to vote is available on the Electoral Commission’s website.
Find out more information about elections and voting in Breckland
(Source: Breckland Council)
