COPELAND’S annual electoral canvass begins this week, and residents are being urged not to lose their right to vote.
The annual event asks people to confirm their details, or make any changes, so that they can be included on the new Register of Electors which will be published on December 1, 2019. The process starts with a two week e-canvass period where all properties that have an associated email address will be sent an email asking for confirmation of eligible residents at the property.
The emails will be sent out on Monday, July 1 and replies must be sent by Sunday, July 14. Subsequent to this, outstanding residents will receive a household enquiry form on or around Wednesday, July 31, to which people can respond in different ways.
To make changes, including adding new electors, residents can use the council’s easy-to-use online system or complete and return the form by post. If there are no changes to be made, this can be confirmed via the online system or by telephone or text message. Details of how to do this will be on the form.
Residents should respond to the Household Enquiry Form whether there are changes to the information it contains or not. If forms are not returned, reminders will be sent and a canvasser may be sent out to help make sure residents return the form.
If any new people have been added to a household enquiry form, they must now register to vote themselves; they can now go online to register themselves at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote or they will be sent an invitation to register form.
Copeland’s Electoral Registration Officer, Pat Graham, said: “We need people’s help to make sure we have everyone registered to vote who is eligible. The next schedules elections take place in May 2020, so make sure you can have your say.”
