Annual Canvass
August - December
If you live in Harlow you need to register to
vote every year.
In August voter registration forms are sent to
every household in the district requesting the details of all
residents eligible to vote, who will be living in the property on
15 October. The forms are pre-printed with
the names that are currently held on the Electoral
Register. The details on the form must be checked
by the residents of the household and make any changes necessary
before returning the form in the pre-paid envelope
provided.
Even if there are no changes to be made, you
are required by law to respond each year. If you do not respond,
your details could be removed from the register.
No Changes? - you can register in one
of the following ways:
- Freephone* - 0800 197 9867
- Text - 80212
- Online** - www.registerbyinternet.com/harlow
- Post - return the signed form in the pre-paid
envelope
*Please note that although this is a freephone
number some operators may charge if you call using a
mobile phone.
**If you do not have internet access at home you can use one of
the public access computers at the civic centre.
Changes? - you must return your
form by post making sure you have signed the form.
If we do not receive a response
from an address by the 16th September 2011 we will then send
personal canvassers out to visit those properties in order to
obtain a completed form. Our canvassers will continue to make
visits at various times, which could include Saturdays and Sundays,
until the 23rd October.
It is a legal requirement that you
return a registration form each year and failure to do so could
result in a fine of up to £1000. Even if you are already registered
to vote, you are obliged to return a completed canvass
form annually.
Remember - If you
are not on the Electoral Register you will not be able to have your
say and vote in any elections, both locally or
nationally. Also, if your name is not on the register it
may affect your credit rating and you could experience
problems getting loans, mortgages, finance agreements, mobile phone
contracts etc.
The legal position in
relation to the Edited Register has been clarified this year and we
can no longer pre-print a ‘X’ in the Edited Register column if an
elector has previously ‘opted-out’.
Therefore, if you DO NOT
want your personal details sold to anyone you must make your choice
clear, either on the form (by putting a ‘X’ in the edited register
column) or on the telephone or internet. Unfortunately, you cannot
choose to opt-out using the text service.
Please note that even if
you choose to ‘opt-out’ your name and address will still be
included on the full register for voting and credit referencing
purposes. However If you do not ‘opt-out’ (i.e. you return the form
with the edited register box blank) then you are agreeing to your
details also being shown on the edited register, which can then be
sold to anyone.
The person who fills in and
signs the registration form must ask each person living at the
address if they want their details to appear on the edited
register.
The new register will be available for inspection after the 1
December 2011 at the Civic Centre. We encourage you to check
your details to ensure the information that we hold is
correct. If you find that you are not on the Electoral
Register or you move house you can register through Rolling Registration.