Householders urged to return voter registration details

West Suffolk Council is currently completing the annual review of the electoral register and urging  households that have not responded to check and return their voter registration details.

With local elections taking place in May 2023, residents are being warned not to lose their voice on decisions that affect them by making sure their electoral registration details are up to date.

The annual canvass ensures that West Suffolk Council can keep the electoral register up to date, identifying any residents who are not registered so that they can be encouraged to do so. They would then be able take part in any future elections.

Carol Bull, cabinet member for Governance at West Suffolk Council, said: “We have sent two electoral registration messages to addresses that have not yet responded and the next step is to send a canvasser to visit in person. We do this because being able to vote is fundamental, but we would prefer these non-responding households to respond to prevent unnecessary expense with a canvasser visit. I’m sure many households are meaning to get round to this job, and this is a gentle reminder.

“If you’re not currently registered, your name will not appear in on the household messages that 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 explaining how to do this in the post.”

People who have moved recently are particularly encouraged to look out for the voter registration messages from West Suffolk Council and check the details.

Research by the Electoral Commission 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 16  years will be registered, compared to 36% of people who have lived at an address for less than one year.

There is helpful information about registering to vote on https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter.

Residents who have any questions can contact West Suffolk Council on 01284 763233 or visit www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/canvass