Breckland residents urged to make sure they are registered to vote

Residents in the Breckland Council area are being urged to ensure the electoral registration details held for them are up to date.

The annual canvass ensures that the council can keep the electoral register up to date, identifying any residents who are not registered to vote.

People who have moved recently are particularly encouraged to look out for the messages being sent out from July 27 and check the details.

Rory Ringer, deputy electoral registration officer at Breckland Council, said: “It’s important that residents look out for messages about the annual canvass from us so we can make sure we have the right details on the electoral register for every address in our district."

He added: "It's very important that you respond to the email to confirm that the details we have about you are correct, or to let us know what changes need to be made. "Anyone who hasn't responded to an email by August 9 will receive a paper form. We'd urge as many people as possible to respond to their email online; it's quick, convenient and helps us save money on printing and postage costs."

Anyone not currently registered can do so online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

Research by the Electoral Commission, published in 2019, indicates that recent home movers are far less likely to be registered than those who have lived at the same address for a long time.

Melanie Davidson, head of support and improvement at the Electoral Commission, said: “It’s really important that everyone who is entitled to vote is able to do so. Checking the messages that you will get from your local authority is the easiest way to see if you’re registered to vote."

Any residents who have any questions can contact their local registration team at breckland.gov.uk/electionsandvoting