Register to vote

How do I register

Registering to vote is easy – you can now do it online!

It takes about 5 minutes.

Go to www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Fill in your name, address, date of birth and a few other details. You’ll also need your National Insurance number, which can be found on your National Insurance card, or in official paperwork such as payslips, or letters about benefits or tax credits.
Look out for confirmation from your local registration staff to say you’re registered.
If you need help please contact the Elections Team on 01283 508376.

Why should I register?

To Vote: You need to register in order to be able to vote. If you aren’t registered to vote, you won’t have the chance to have a say on who represents you.

Some people also register to vote because they want to apply for credit. This is because credit reference agencies use the register to confirm where someone lives when they apply for credit in order to counteract fraud.

Who can register to vote?

A British citizen.
16 years old or over – you cannot vote until you are 18.
An Irish, Commonwealth or European Union citizen who is resident in the UK.
To qualify, Commonwealth citizens must be resident in the UK and either have leave to remain in the UK, or not require such leave. The definition of a ‘Commonwealth citizen’ includes citizens of British Crown Dependencies and British Overseas Territories.

I thought I was already registered to vote

If you have registered yourself at your current address since 10 June 2014 and you have not moved home since – you will be registered to vote under the new system.

You will also be registered to vote if you received information at your current address telling you that you are registered under the new system.

If you are unsure whether you are registered under the new system contact the Elections Team on 01283 508376, elections@eaststaffsbc.gov.uk

What If I don’t register?

You will have no say at future elections and referendums and if you don’t respond to requests for information from your local electoral registration office you could be at risk of getting a fine of £80.

The two versions of the Electoral Register

There are two versions of the electoral register – the full register and the open register.

The full register lists the name and address of everyone who is registered to vote and is updated every month. A copy is held at the Customer Service Centre, Market Place, Burton and Uttoxeter Library.

Anyone can look at it and make handwritten notes but copies can only be supplied for certain purposes. The main use of the full register is to show who can vote in elections and referendums.

It can be used by Credit Reference Agencies but only to check your name and address if you are applying for credit. It can also be used for law enforcement purposes.

The open register is available for general sale and can be used for any purpose.

It is kept separate from the full register and can be bought by any person, company or organisation and can be used for commercial activities such as marketing. You can choose not to be on the open register without affecting your voting rights or credit status.

Anonymous Registration

If you are concerned about your personal safety you are able to register anonymously by applying to the Electoral Registration Officer.

Applicants would need documentary evidence of a Court Order or attestation.

If you are registered anonymously, instead of your name and address appearing on the electoral register a code will be displayed.

Anyone who has concerns about their name appearing on the electoral register should contact the Elections Team on 01283 508376 and a member of staff will be happy to advise.

Initial Identity Checking For All Current Electors

In early July, every current elector’s name and address will be checked against other records, in order to verify the majority of people at the start of the transition to individual registration. This will use secure and tested data matching processes. Once each person’s identity has been checked, the majority of electors will have had their identity “confirmed”.

Confirmed Electors

In July, each elector whose details HAVE been matched against other records will be sent a letter advising that their identity has been confirmed and that they do not need to do anything about their registration, unless their circumstances change, such as moving home or changing name.

Unconfirmed Electors

In July, each elector whose details HAVE NOT been matched against other records will be sent an invitation to make a fresh application to register as an elector.

They will be sent an individual application form and asked either to complete and return the form, or to register online. Those who do not respond will be sent reminders and a Council Official will call to encourage them to register.

Failure to respond to an invitation is likely to affect people’s ability to vote at future elections and referenda.

There will be some households with a mix of confirmed and unconfirmed electors.

This is because of the way in which the other records being used to verify people’s identity are maintained. Each unconfirmed elector will still need to make a fresh application, even if somebody else at their address doesn’t.

The Household Enquiry Form

Householders will be required to complete an annual household enquiry form. In 2014, as we will be writing to every elector, we will not also be sending them a household enquiry form. Occupants can advise us at any time, if their household circumstances have changed.

When these forms are returned, any new potential electors will be sent invitations to become registered. People do not need to wait to be invited to register, unless they need to apply on a paper form, as new residents can apply online at any time and should do so as soon as they move address or find they are not registered.

Individual Electoral Registration - Privacy Impact Assessment

View the Individual Electoral Registration - Privacy Impact Assessment