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Electoral Registration

 

The Register of Electors (or otherwise known as the electoral register) is a list of all the residents of Warrington who are eligible to vote in elections. You can only vote in elections if your name is included in the register. You do not have to vote in an election (it is your choice) but you are required by law to be registered.

How can I register?

The register is updated annually (through the annual canvass) and a revised register is published on 1 December each year. The annual canvass is conducted from mid-August to November each year. All households in Warrington will receive a registration form and this must be completed and returned listing all the persons eligible to be registered. If this form is not returned, your household will be visited by a canvasser. If you do not receive this form, contact electoral services on 01925 442184 or email us.

Between December and August you apply to register by completing a rolling registration form. Your details will be added on a monthly basis (see application form for applicable dates) and you will receive confirmation of your registration.

Please note that even if you are registered or paying council tax this does not automatically update your electoral registration details. You must complete a registration form. You may have difficulty in obtaining credit if you are not registered.

Can I register?

You can be included on the electoral register if you meet the eligibilty criteria:

  • you are resident in Warrington; including if this address is your home but you are temporarily away or you are working away from home for less than six months, you are a student living away from home, you are a lodger (but not a short stay visitor)
  • you must be a British or Irish citizen, Commonwealh citizen or citizen of a European Union member state (click here to see if you are a qualfying citizen)
  • if you are 16 or 17 years old you can apply to be registered now, but you cannot vote until you are 18.

If you live abroad you can apply to register as an overseas elector. You can keep your right to vote at UK parliamentary elections and European parliamentary elections for fifteen years, subject to you meeting the requirements.

If you are a member of the armed forces or the spouse of a service person you can register as a service voter. For more information about these visit the Electoral Commission's website.

What are the two registers?

The Electoral Registration Officer holds two versions of the electoral register - the full register and the edited register. You can inspect the full register at the town hall under supervision during normal office hours. You may make handwritten notes from this but you are unable to photocopy. For registers before 2001, these can be viewed at Warrington Library on Museum Street.

The full register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote. This is only used for electoral purposes and for crime prevention. Credit reference agencies can also use it to check your name and address if you are applying for credit.

The edited register is available for general sale and can be used for any purpose. It can be bought by any person, company or organisation and is generally used for marketing purposes. If you do not wish for your details to appear on the edited register, you must tick the relevant box on the registration form. If you wish to make an enquiry about purchasing a copy of the edited register, contact electoral services on 01925 442184 or email us.

How can I vote?

If you are registered you will be sent a polling card near the time of an election detailing your allocated polling station. Alternatively, you can apply to vote by post or proxy.

You can vote by post on a temporary or permanent basis without having to provide a reason. It is possible to let someone else vote on your behalf (voting by proxy) if you are unable to go to your polling station. Unlike voting by post you are required to provide a reason why you cannot vote in person. It is possible to have a permanent proxy vote for reasons of a disability or employment however your application must be certified through a third party, such as your employer or doctor.
To vote by either of these ways contact electoral services on 01925 442184 or email us and we'll send you the application forms.



Last updated 08/12/2009 14:53:14


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