Date:
The borough’s residents are being encouraged not to lose their right to vote on local decisions that affect them. From Monday 23 August 2021, Woking Borough Council will begin contacting households across the borough as part of the annual canvass.
The purpose of the annual canvass is to ensure that the electoral register is up-to-date and to identify any residents who are not yet registered to vote.
Julie Fisher, Woking Borough Council's Electoral Registration Officer, said: “The annual canvass is an opportunity for residents to make sure that when the forthcoming election takes place in May 2022, they are registered to participate and don’t lose their right to vote.
“It’s important that residents look out for messages from Woking Borough Council, so we can make sure we have the right details on the electoral register for every address in Woking borough. As part of the annual canvass, we will send you a form for you to respond to; simply follow the instructions sent to you and respond to us as soon as possible.
“If you’re not currently registered, your name will not appear in the messages we send. If you want to register, the easiest way is online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote, or we can send you information in the post explaining how to do this.”
Residents who are asked to confirm their details can do so online at www.householdresponse.com/woking. Households will need to enter their postcode and a unique security code, which can be found at the bottom of their letter, when confirming their details online.
People who have moved recently are particularly encouraged to look out for the voter registration messages from Woking Borough Council and check the details. Research by the Electoral Commission, published in 2019, indicates that recent home movers are far less likely to be registered than those who have lived at the same address for a long time. Across Great Britain, 92% of people who have been at their property for more than sixteen years will be registered, compared to 36% of people who have lived at an address for less than one year.
Melanie Davidson, Head of Support and Improvement at the Electoral Commission, said: “It’s really important that everyone who is entitled to vote is able to do so. Checking the messages that you will get from your local authority is the easiest way to see if you’re registered to vote.”
If households need to make any changes, or confirm their details, and cannot access the internet, they can contact the council's elections team on 01483 755 855 or email elections@woking.gov.uk