ISLAND HOUSEHOLDS TO RECEIVE REGISTER OF ELECTORS ANNUAL ENQUIRY FORM

Isle of Wight residents should look out for the annual Register of Electors enquiry form that will be landing on doormats in the coming weeks.

All councils, including the Isle of Wight Council, carry out an annual check of the electoral register. This is known as the annual canvass. During the annual canvass, the Isle of Wight Council sends a form to every household on the Island – around 73,250 – to check that the people registered to vote at that address are correct.

Every household is required to respond so that the authority can make sure the data they hold is correct and up-to-date. Even if someone in the property only recently registered to vote, the council still need a response to the form.

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The form allows you to advise the elections office who lives at your address – and to add details of new residents, or change the information where residents have moved away. Any newly identified electors will then be sent a personalised electoral registration form, which they must complete in order to be registered to vote. The updated information will ensure that everyone who is eligible to vote and has registered will be able to vote in any forthcoming elections or referendums.

The Isle of Wight Council are asking householders to respond to the enquiry form by 19th August. Completing and returning the form will also help save the cost of sending reminders or follow-up visits.

Save time, do it online

Residents also have the option of completing the form online, via www.householdresponse.com/iow. To use this secure website, you will need your postcode and the unique 2-part security code that is printed on the form. Alternatively, if there are no changes at your household, you can telephone 0800 197 9871 to confirm this.

Choose how you vote

The enquiry form also allows an existing elector to request an application form to vote by post or proxy. If an elector already has a permanent postal or proxy vote then this will be indicated on the form.

Young adults

Young adults who are 16 or 17 years of age should be included on the form, so the electoral registration team can send them a registration form to enable them to register and vote once they turn 18.

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My details are correct on the form

If all your household details are correct, you just need to confirm the details on the form by responding online, by telephone, or by signing it and sending back to the Council.

Why should I fill it in?

The Full Register is open for public inspection at Customer Services, County Hall, Newport and there is a legal requirement for every household in the UK to supply the information when asked to do so.

Additionally the Full Register can be used by some statutory bodies and credit reference agencies to help verify identities and protect against crime. For example, if a person is not registered at the address they give on a loan application, they may be refused credit, or at least find it more difficult to obtain.

There is a choice, however, about whether you want your name and address to appear on the Open Register, as opposed to the Full Register. The Open Register is available for use by commercial organisations. The choice to be excluded from the Open Register was introduced in 2002 – and there is a section on the enquiry form indicating existing preferences.

I have not received an enquiry form

If your household has not received an enquiry form by early August, then contact the Electoral Services office at the Isle of Wight Council via [email protected] or telephone on 01983 823380.