Residents across York are being asked to keep an eye on their inboxes and letterboxes as City of York Council begins its annual electoral registration canvass from 17 August.
The annual canvass plays a vital role in ensuring that everyone who is eligible to vote can take part in local and national elections. By checking that the information held for every household is accurate and up to date, we can help make sure residents are correctly registered and able to have their say when elections take place.
From 17 August, households across York will start receiving emails and letters from the council asking them to confirm or update details of who lives at their address.
The annual canvass helps to:
- identify residents who are newly eligible to vote
- remove people who have moved away or are no longer eligible
- ensure the electoral register is accurate for future elections
Residents are encouraged to respond online wherever possible, helping to reduce costs and allowing council resources to be used for other services.
All official canvass emails will come from electoral.services@york.gov.uk with the subject line "City of York Council Annual Canvass" and will include instructions and security details to enable a secure online response.
City of York Council leader, Cllr Claire Douglas, said:
"The annual canvass plays a vital role in ensuring that everyone who is eligible to vote can take part in local and national elections. We would encourage residents to look out for our emails and letters from 17 August and respond as soon as possible."
"It only takes a few minutes to check and update your details, and responding online is the quickest and easiest way to do so."
Only one person in each household needs to complete the canvass response. However, households should check the information carefully and make sure all eligible residents are included. This includes British and Irish citizens, qualifying Commonwealth citizens and qualifying EU citizens who live at the address.
Some households will be legally required to respond, even if there have been no changes. Residents should read their correspondence carefully, as it will explain whether a response is required. If no response is received, the council may need to issue reminders, make telephone contact or carry out a household visit.
More information about the annual canvass and how to respond is available at: www.york.gov.uk/HEF