Don’t lose your vote – residents in the Cotswolds urged to check voter registration details
Cotswold District residents are being urged to check their electoral registration details to avoid losing their right to vote on important decisions that affect them.
Published: 9 September 2024
The Council has begun its Annual Canvass to ensure that everyone’s voting information is up to date.
With Gloucestershire County Council elections taking place in 2025, this is an opportunity for residents to make sure their details are correctly logged so that they can take part in the election.
Recent home movers in particular are urged to check their details. Electoral Commission research has found that recent home movers are less likely to be registered than those who have lived at the same address for a long time. In Great Britain, 92% of those who have lived in their home for 16 years will be registered, compared with 36% of people who have lived at an address for less than a year.
The Council will directly contact all households with instructions between August and October. Householders are encouraged to read the instructions carefully and respond as required.
The first communication was an email sent from 29 August and the Council encourages people to respond to that email to avoid the Council having to send a letter out by post.
Robert Weaver, Electoral Registration Officer at Cotswold District Council, said: “Keep an eye out for communications which will include instructions on how to ensure your household is fully registered for the next election. Please read the instructions carefully, whether they arrive by post or email.
“The annual canvass is our way of making sure that the information on the electoral register is accurate for every address. To keep your right to vote at the next election, please make sure you respond.
“If you receive an email from us please follow the instructions provided so we don’t need to send follow-ups, helping us save both money and paper.
“If you don’t hear from the council, it may mean you are not on the register. If you want to register, the easiest way is online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.”
Residents can find out more about elections on the website at cotswold.gov.uk/elections. Anyone with questions about their registration status can contact the council’s electoral services team at Elections@cotswold.gov.uk or by calling 01285 623002.