Annual canvass of Electors
Every year, we are required by law to contact all residential properties in North East Lincolnshire to check who is eligible to register to vote. If you are aged over 16 and a British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen, or a member of a European Union country, you must be registered on the electoral register for the property where you live.
In July/August 2023, each household will either receive an email, letter and/or canvass form or telephone call from us. Read it carefully. If you are required to respond and fail to reply, then we will send you up to two reminders. By law, we are required to visit your property to seek a response. Canvassers will be visiting all properties that we have not received a response from during September and October, albeit we would like to avoid this for as many properties as possible due to the current public health situation.
If, by the end of the canvass, we have not been able to get in contact, and complete the canvass process you will be in danger of being removed from the register. This could have an adverse effect on your credit score.
How to response
Read the information in your email, letter or canvass form carefully to check if:
- you need to respond
- all the information correct (if not, please respond online or by phone)
It is quicker to respond online. Please note that you will need your unique two-part security code, which is printed on the email, letter, and canvass form.
For changes or no changes, you can use:
- Online – Household information response form
- Phone – 01472 324160 – during office hours, providing your two-part security code when asked by the member of staff taking the call
- Post, make sure you complete the form fully and check that you have signed the form
If you do not have any changes to report then you can also use:
- Automated response line – 0808 284 1423
- Text service – send your security codes separated by a space to 07786 209 423
What happens next
By completing and returning the form, you are informing us who should be on the electoral register at your property.
If you:
- add someone to the form, they must complete the second part of the process and register online at register to vote. They will need their national insurance number and date of birth to register. Alternatively, they will be sent a paper ‘Invitation to Register Form’ to complete, so that they can register to vote.
- delete anyone from the form, we may write to the individual to check they no longer live there
The new Electoral Register will be published on 1 December 2023.
Providing information as a Single Responsible Person
Properties that are made up of multiple occupants that do not form a single household are required to have a single responsible person to complete the canvass.
These properties include:
- University halls
- Residential care homes
- Hostels
- Houses in multiple occupation (HMOs)
A single responsible person is any person who lawfully holds or has access to information about each person living at a property and is eligible to be registered.
If you are a single responsible person, you must provide information about the residents at the properties you are responsible for to the Electoral Registration Officer. This is allowed within General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regulations and is compulsory by law as legislated in Regulation 23 of the Representation of the People Regulations 2001.
The Electoral Registration Officer will normally contact you during annual canvass (July to November) to ask for up to date information on residents.
After receiving the information from you, eligible electors living at these properties will be contacted by the Electoral Registration Officer and informed how to register to vote.
What happens if you do not respond
It is a legal requirement to supply information to the Electoral Registration Officer. You could receive a criminal penalty of a fine up to a maximum of £1000 for failing to provide the information required.
Changing tenants
You may update the Electoral Registration Officer outside of the annual canvass period if tenants have moved out or into the property you are responsible for. You may also be contacted outside of annual canvass for updated information. For example, before an election.
Contact details
Elections, Municipal Offices, Town Hall Square, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, DN31 1HU
Telephone: 01472 324160