More helpful information about Annual Canvass
- Annual distribution of canvass forms
- Legal obligation to respond to the form
- Responsibility for providing accurate information
- Updating information for former residents
- Reporting a change of address due to a move
- Separation of electoral services and council tax records
- Canvass forms sent to business addresses
- Inclusion of university students in the register
- Applying for postal or proxy voting
- Registering individuals added to the form
- Canvass responsibilities for second homeowners
- Protection of personal information on the register
- Requirement to respond regardless of voting intentions
Annual distribution of canvass forms
The law dictates that we must complete a canvass of every property in the city annually. We are obliged to compile accurate records, and this is our way of obtaining information from every household.
Even if you have responded to similar requests in the past, or have already registered to vote, you must respond as soon as possible.
You can help us reduce costs and save paper by responding to the canvass and applying to register to vote online.
Legal obligation to respond to the form
There are three types of forms, CCA, CCB and CF. Your form will be labelled under the reference number.
- If you receive a CCA form and all the details are correct, you do not need to respond.
- If you receive a CCA form and there are changes to make, you must respond.
- If you receive a CCB form, you must respond whether there are changes to report or not.
- If you receive a CF form, you must respond whether there are changes to report or not.
If you receive a CCB and do not respond by 8 September 2025, you will be sent a reminder form. If you continue to not respond someone from the Council may visit your property.
Responsibility for providing accurate information
Any person who has a connection to the property can provide information, i.e. current resident, property owner/ manager. The person responding must also ensure that any information they provide is correct.
Updating information for former residents
You can indicate this when you respond online. To respond on the paper forms, simply cross out the names of any residents who no longer live at the property. Do not forget to add the names of any current residents not already included and who are eligible to vote.
If the property is empty, a second home, used only for business or no one is eligible to vote you still need to complete and return the form or respond online.
Reporting a change of address due to a move
You should respond to the canvass communication by the deadline, stating the current situation at the time of response.
Once you have moved, there may be a form to complete, you should also go online and register to vote at your new address on GOV.UK service. You should enter your previous address when prompted, we will receive notification of your new registration and will remove you from your previous address.
You can also inform us of your move by emailing electoral.services@york.gov.uk
Separation of electoral services and council tax records
Electoral Registration and council tax operate under different legislative rules. Whether people are eligible to vote is not something that council tax offices know.
The Electoral Registration Officer keeps a separate list of all eligible voters living at the property. This can include other residents in addition to the bill payer(s), e.g. family members or dependents.
Canvass forms sent to business addresses
If there is a residential part of the shop/ business, ensure the form is not for this part of the property if so the residents or the property owner/ manager needs to respond.
If the property is solely used for business purposes and nobody lives there, let us know on the online form or send the form back to us, we will remove the business from our database.
Inclusion of university students in the register
If they wish to, students temporarily living away from home are entitled to be included on the register for their university address and their family home address. They are allowed to vote from both addresses for local elections but are not allowed to vote twice in the same election (i.e. at a Parliamentary election from both addresses).
It is not mandatory for students to register at both their term-time and home addresses, as long as they are registered at one of them.
Applying for postal or proxy voting
The quickest and easiest way to register for a postal or proxy vote is online through the Government website:
Alternatively, you can find paper application forms to download on the council’s website, or we can post these forms our to you.
Registering individuals added to the form
Adding someone’s name to the canvass form does not automatically register them to vote. It only informs the council of who is eligible to vote at the address. Residents must each complete an individual register to vote application – this can be done online on GOV.UK service or we can send paper forms.
Canvass responsibilities for second homeowners
If you are a second homeowner and no one else lives at your second address, you are responsible for responding to the forms we send.
Protection of personal information on the register
You can opt out of the Open Register. The council must make the open register available for general sale and it can be used for any purpose.
Everyone is included in the full Register of Electors, but access to and use of this register is restricted by law in the Representation of the People Act 1983.
If you are worried about your safety you may be eligible to register anonymously, contact Electoral Services for more details.
Requirement to respond regardless of voting intentions
You must respond even if you do not intend to vote. It is a legal requirement to register to vote if you are eligible. There is a criminal penalty for failing to provide the information required.
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