Annual Electoral Register Canvass 2025 _Tewkesbury BC

As you are probably aware, we are required by law to keep the register of eligible voters up to date.  From August/September each year we contact every household to find out if the details on the electoral register are correct.  This is known as the ‘annual canvass’.  Being registered gives residents the right to vote at elections and could also improve their credit rating or help them if they need to apply for credit.

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Our communications

There will be a mix of emails and letters (plus a final personal canvass stage, involving visits to properties).  The communications will include details of those individuals currently registered at the property, and a request for a member of the household to confirm whether the details are correct or tell us about any changes.

In terms of dates:

• Our initial communications (emails and letters) will be sent out on 18 and 19 August
• Our follow-up communications (letters only) will be sent out on 11 September
• The personal canvass stage will take place between 10 October and 3 November.

We are mindful of the prevalence of scams, particularly in email form.  We have therefore included relevant assurances in our communications, and details of how electors can cross check that our communications are genuine.  For your information, and to help if you are approached by any residents from your parishes:

Our emails will be sent out from the email address electoral.services.tewkesbury.borough.council@notifications.service.gov.uk with the subject line of ‘Electoral Register Annual Check – Action required’.

• Our letters will be addressed to the ‘Resident/Occupier’, carry the Council’s logo and address details, and include one of the following headings: ‘You must respond so we can check who is eligible to register to vote’ or ‘Is the electoral register information correct for this address?’.
• If we need to call someone, the call will be made from either 01684 272025, 01684 272043, 01684 272028 or 01684 272050 (although the location may show as Malvern).

In terms of responding to our communications:

• There is an online automated response service, available 24/7.  We have appointed Civica Election Services to run this service on our behalf, and it can be accessed using the following address link:

https://householdresponse.com/tewkesburybc

               This link will take the elector to Civica’s Tewkesbury page to enable them to complete their household response. They will need to enter the unique security codes     (Part 1 and Part 2) included in their letter/email along with the postcode of the property.

• Where no changes are required to the electoral registration details, electors can also respond via one of the following options:

(i)                  Call 0800 884 0701 – they will require Part 1 and Part 2 of their security code (included in their letter/email); or

(ii)                Text NOCHANGE followed by Part 1 and Part 2 of their security code (included in their letter/email) to 80212.

If someone has moved address?

 If an elector receives a communication from us regarding an address they are no longer living at, they should either email or call us.

 New residents

 Any new residents who are eligible to register will need to make an individual registration application to complete the second stage of the process – simply adding names to the household response does not complete their registration. Applications can be made:

• Either online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
• Or via a paper form – by using the information provided to us, we will send separate paper individual registration forms to those residents
• Or by calling the team on 01684 272025.

When making their application, they will need to provide their date of birth and National Insurance Number.

Publicity

We have published details of the canvass on our website (which, from next week, will include a link from a ‘banner item’ on the homepage), and our Communications Team will issue media releases and provide regular reminders via social media channels at key stages in the canvass process/timetable.