The annual canvass for the electoral register takes place in the autumn of each year, throughout the UK, with the register then being published on 1 December. A registration form is delivered to each household for completion and the register is then compiled from the information provided on this form. If you move once the register is published, you can apply throughout the year, with updates taking place monthly between December and August. An application form (Word 169kb) is required for each individual. It is important to ensure that your registration is up to date so that you can vote once an election is called. It can also affect your credit rating if your name does not appear on the electoral register. Find out more about the electoral register.
If you have not received a form please contact the helpline on 01784 446232/6238, or email electoral services.
If you have already made a new application to be added to the electoral register before 11 August then your name will be added to the September updates to the register. Spelthorne Borough Council will already have acknowledged your original application by writing to you if this is the case. You will still need to fill in the annual Register of Electors form as well, otherwise your names may not stay on the register when it is re-published on 1 December 2006.
You do not need to wait until 15 October to send the form back. If you know you will still be living at your property on this date then please return the form as soon as possible.
This form is nothing to do with the Census, this form is only to enable us to compile an accurate register of electors. If you do not fill out the form your name will not appear on the register and you will not be able to vote at the next election.
All forms contain the pre-printed details of the electors who are currently listed at that address. If the pre-printed people no longer live at your address please cross those names out and add your names to the form.
If there are no changes to the pre-printed details and your nationality is British or Irish then you are able to use the telephone or internet registration services. A security code has been randomly generated for your use, please follow the instructions included with the form to use this service.
If you are from a European Union or Commonwealth country then please state your nationality on the form (if you are unsure of your nationality, please list the nationality shown on your passport).
If you are moving house before 15 October 2006 then please do not return the form, cross your names out and leave the form for the new occupiers to add their details. A form should be waiting for you at your new property, if there is no form when you arrive at your new property, please contact the electoral services office and we will send you a new form.
If you are moving house after 15 October 2006 then you should complete the form, you will also need tocomplete a rolling registration form once you have moved.
If there is no one eligible to be registered at your address then please state this on the form in section 3. If you are unsure as to whether you qualify to register please look at who can vote or contact electoral services.
If you are over 70, please indicate this in the 'Jury service exemption' section of the form. Anyone over 70 is no longer eligible to perform Jury service and we have to supply this information to the Jury Summoning Service.
We only need dates of birth for 16 and 17 year olds, if you are over 18 you do not need to include your date of birth.
Make sure you tick the Edited register column if you do not want you name to appear on the edited register. The council must make the Edited register available for general sale and it can be used for any purpose. Everyone will be included in the Full register, which is used for voting purposes and supplied to the Credit Reference Agencies.
If you would like a postal vote application form, please tick the Postal vote section of the form. We will send out all applications once the register is published. If there is a pre-printed tick in this column, this mean you already have postal vote arrangements in place. If you wish to continue with these arrangements then do not amend this section. If you wish to cancel the postal vote, cross out the pre-printed tick. Electoral Services will write to you to confirm any cancellations.
If you would like to vote by proxy please contact the electoral services office or write the words 'proxy' in the postal vote section of the form and we will send you an application form. You need to have a reason to vote by proxy, such as a disability or you will be unable to attend the polling station due to your employment.
Services Electors (Army, Navy, etc) should not be included on the form. If you are in the services please contact electoral services to find out how to register.
Overseas Electors should not be included in the form. If you are living overseas permanently and are unsure of how to register please contact electoral services.
If you are working away from home for less than six months then your name can be included on the form.
Students can register twice. Both at their parents home and at their term time address (such as a university residence, or shared house).
Tourists/Guests - Do not include people who are staying on holiday or who are short term guests.
Please make sure you sign and date the form after you have filled out all the necessary details.
All properties within Spelthorne will shortly receive their voter registration form. The forms are being sent out in order to compile the 2008/9 Register of Electors, which will be published on 1 December 2008. This register will be used in the elections scheduled for next year.
The information can be updated in one of four ways, by using the free automated telephone response service, internet registration, completing the form and returning it to us or, new to this year, SMS text service for which there is a small charge.
Electors who prefer to complete the form and return it can send it back either by using one of the collection boxes located in the Boroughs’ libraries and Day Centres or via Royal Mail. A member of the Electoral Services team empties the collection boxes each Tuesday afternoon during September and until 21 October. For every 1,000 forms returned via the collection box system, the Council can reduce postage costs by over £200.
Electors are encouraged to return their form as early as possible. Reminders will be posted out to all properties, which have not replied, by the end of September. Help us to keep our postage costs down and reply before the end of September.
