Annual canvass

Annual electoral register canvass

Annual electoral register canvass

We are required by law to keep the register of eligible voters up to date. From August/September each year we contact every household to find out if the details on the electoral register are correct. This is known as the ‘annual canvass’.  Being registered gives you the right to vote at elections and could also improve your credit rating or help you if you need to apply for credit.

We are required by law to keep the register of eligible voters up to date. From August/September each year we contact every household to find out if the details on the electoral register are correct. This is known as the ‘annual canvass’.  Being registered gives you the right to vote at elections and could also improve your credit rating or help you if you need to apply for credit.

The 2025 annual canvass

The Council has finished updating the electoral register for 2025.

The 2026 annual canvass

Once available, this page will be updated with dates for email and letter despatch for the forthcoming annual canvass which is due to commence in August 2026.

Privacy Statement - Electoral Registration

The Electoral Registration Officer is the Data Controller.  Their lawful basis for collecting personal information is that the processing is necessary in order to perform a task in the public interest as set out in the Representation of the People Act 1983 and related legislation.

The Electoral Registration Officer is legally required to process your personal information securely and comply with data protection legislation.

If you opted-out of the open register, your name and address can only be used for electoral purposes (including matching it against other data sources to support the electoral register) and other limited purposes specified in law.  The law allows your information to be used for democratic engagement activities (by political parties, candidates, and agents), crime detection, jury summoning, and credit application identity checks.

If you did not opt-out of the open register your name and address can be bought by anyone and used for lots of purposes, including direct marketing.

Alistair Cunningham, Electoral Registration Officer.