Will you be able to vote? Residents urged to check they are registered

Residents in Bury are being urged to look out for their annual voting canvass forms, which are now being delivered to homes across the borough.

A new, national process was introduced last year which means that most people will not need to do anything.

Residents will receive a letter or email and in the majority of cases, households will not need to respond if all the information is correct and complete – the letter or email will clearly state if this is the case.

Emails will only be sent to people who have registered to receive them and will always end in bury.gov.uk if anyone is concerned about being sent a fraudulent link. We will never ask for financial information.

The change was made to make the canvass easier and simpler for people whose circumstances have not changed.

Otherwise, someone in the household will have to confirm elector details. It may also be necessary for the council to ask households for more information before including everyone on the register.

If residents have to make any change, they can do this easily online or by phone, by following the instructions in the letter or email. People can also complete the paper form sent to them and return it to the council in the post in the pre-paid envelope supplied to them

The council will only call someone if they need to confirm an elector in a household. Again, a genuine caller will never ask for financial information.

Letters are being sent to around 90,000 properties in Bury, where around 140,000 voters are currently registered.

Geoff Little, Bury’s Electoral Registration Officer and Chief Executive, said: “Please keep an eye out for the letter that will be delivered to every residential property in Bury or an email if you have signed up to it, during the next few weeks and read it carefully.

“We carry out the annual canvass by law and it is an important part of making sure that as many people as possible have the right to vote.

“It is simpler this year for people whose circumstances have not changed.

“However, the register is often not accurate for people who have lived in a property for less than a year.

“If your circumstances have changed or if the information on the register is not accurate you may be denying yourself or other people living in your household the opportunity to vote.

“Please check the information carefully and follow the guidance.”

If you have not registered to vote you can do so by visiting www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Anyone who lives in your household, as long as they are over 18 years of age and would be eligible to vote, can update the register for a household.

Further information about the electoral register and how to vote is available from the Electoral Commission at https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter

ENDS

Press release issued: 14 July 2022.