The Representation of the People (Form of Canvass) (England and Wales) Regulations 2004

Your right to vote

You can vote in elections only if your name appears in the register of electors. A new version of the register is published at least once a year following an annual canvass which takes place each autumn.

About this form

The law requires you to give the information requested in this form. So please fill it in, sign it and return it to the electoral registration officer as quickly as possible.

Remember to include the names of all those living in your household who will be eligible to vote—their right to vote is important too.

The form should include all those living in your household on 15th October [insert year]. But you need not wait until then to fill in the form.

If you do not return this form, your name may be left out of the new version of the register, even though it may already be included in the current one.

With this form there are notes about who is eligible to vote and instructions on how to fill it in.

If there is anything you don't understand, or if you would like more information, contact your electoral registration office at the address—or on the telephone number—shown on the form. They will be pleased to help.

Checking the register

The new register is published on or shortly before 1st December and you can look at a copy of it at your local council offices. If for some reason you have been missed off the register, or your details have changed since 15th October (for example, because you have changed your address) you should ask immediately to have your name added to the register or to have the register changed. The electoral registration officer will tell you what you have to do.

Would you prefer to vote by post?

Anyone on the electoral register can vote by post. You can have a postal vote for just one election, for all elections in a set period, or for all elections indefinitely. To make it easy for you to apply for a postal vote, there is a tick box alongside each name on the form. If you want to apply for a postal vote, you should tick the box and an application form will be sent to you.