Annual Voter Registration 2010

It’s that time of year when we carry out our annual voter registration campaign for the Register of Electors. This is the chance for everyone in Waveney to ensure that their name appears on the voters list when it is re-published for 2011.

It’s important to ensure your name appears on the Register so that you can have your vote, but also so that you can prove you are resident at your address for things like obtaining credit/opening bank account.

We will be sending an annual registration form to every residential property in the District at the beginning of September so that you can check that the information we hold is correct. If the details on your registration form are correct then please use one of the 3 simple automated registration services detailed below to make a return for your household.

If you need to make changes to the information that we hold for your address on the Register of Electors, for example if the form lists the previous occupants of the property, please make the necessary changes on the form in pen (for example cross through the incorrect names with a line and write the correct names on the form), sign the form at the bottom, and post it back to us using the envelope provided. The envelope is pre-paid so you do not need to use a stamp.

Please note that we are a separate department to Council Tax and notifying them that you have moved in to a house/changed your name does not mean that your details are updated on the Register of Electors, you have to notify our office separately of any changes.

The new Register of Electors for 2011 will be produced on 1st December 2010. Any new additions/amendments to the Register that are made on the annual registration forms will not take affect until the new Register is published on that date.

As well as informing Electoral Services of your change of address you will also need to inform our Council Tax department, your bank/building society, the Passport Office and the DVLA (all these need to be notified separately).

Please note you must be living at an address and it must be your main residence in order for you to register there. You may not register if you are only temporarily living at an address or on holiday at an address. By signing the declaration on the registration form you are confirming that the information you are providing on the form is true and accurate, if you complete and submit a form with false information on it you will be committing a fraudulent offence.

No changes to your information? – use our Automated Response Services - Telephone, Internet or Text (SMS).

Once again we will be providing the facility for electors who have no changes to make to the details we hold, to record a ‘return’ for the annual voter registration campaign using one of our 3 automated services. Last year thousands of electors in Waveney used these quick and efficient methods to successfully make a return.

You can also request a postal vote application form for any member of the household who doesn’t already vote by post after you have confirmed your households details using the telephone or internet services. (This facility is not available via the text service).

To use any of the services please look for the information on the top right hand corner of your registration form, or for more detailed information please click on the following link for our automated response FAQ section.

Remember - once you have made a successful ‘return’ by telephone, internet or text (SMS), you do not need to complete the form – it’s probably best to shred it or mark it as done so that you do not return it later.

Using the automated services saves time for the elector and for us processing the information, helping us to be more efficient.

You can find further information about the annual voter registration period, how to fill in your form and how to use the telephone, internet and text (SMS) services on the registration form itself, with notes on the back of the form relating to each of the sections on the front. If you require any additional help please contact our office on 01502 523238 or email elections@waveney.gov.uk


Outside of the Annual Voter Registration Period, you can apply to be included on the Electoral Register whenever you move house by requesting and completing a ‘rolling registration form’. From December to September each year the Register of Electors is updated on a monthly basis according to a legal timetable. The date that we receive your completed application during this time determines the date that we can legally add you to the Register. There is also a cut-off date before each election so it is important that you register as soon as possible whenever you move or have changes to your details.

To request a Rolling Registration Form please telephone our office on (01502) 523238 or email elections@waveney.gov.uk
 
IMPORTANT: Please note that in the run up to an election you can only register to vote up to 11 working days before the election. Therefore you must contact the Elections Office in good time so that we can post you a registration form to your address, and you can complete it and return it before the deadline.

Rolling registration forms are also sent out via our Council Tax Department to households where there is a change in the Council Tax details to help keep the Register up to date. (Please note that just because you are paying Council Tax at a property this does not mean that you are automatically registered with us – you need to complete one of our registration forms to have your details added to the Register of Electors).

These procedures try to ensure that as many people as possible are registered at the correct address in time to vote when an election is called. 


Promote the vote website - simple and clear information about registering to vote.


Contact us regarding any Electoral matter at:

Electoral Services Office
Town Hall
High Street
Lowestoft, NR32 1HS
 
Telephone: 01502 523238
Fax: 01502 523005
Email: elections@waveney.gov.uk