The Representation of the People (Form of Canvass) (England and Wales) Regulations 2004

Regulation 3

SCHEDULE Form of Canvass and Form of Words about the Two Versions of the Register

PART I Form prescribed for the purposes of section 10(4) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (as substituted by Schedule 1 to the Representation of the People Act 2000)

RETURN BY OCCUPIER AS TO RESIDENTS

Your right to vote

You can vote in elections only if your name appears in the register of electors. A new version of the register is published at least once a year following an annual canvass which takes place each autumn.

About this form

The law requires you to give the information requested in this form. So please fill it in, sign it and return it to the electoral registration officer as quickly as possible.

Remember to include the names of all those living in your household who will be eligible to vote—their right to vote is important too.

The form should include all those living in your household on 15th October [insert year]. But you need not wait until then to fill in the form.

If you do not return this form, your name may be left out of the new version of the register, even though it may already be included in the current one.

With this form there are notes about who is eligible to vote and instructions on how to fill it in.

If there is anything you don't understand, or if you would like more information, contact your electoral registration office at the address—or on the telephone number—shown on the form. They will be pleased to help.

Checking the register

The new register is published on or shortly before 1st December and you can look at a copy of it at your local council offices. If for some reason you have been missed off the register, or your details have changed since 15th October (for example, because you have changed your address) you should ask immediately to have your name added to the register or to have the register changed. The electoral registration officer will tell you what you have to do.

Would you prefer to vote by post?

Anyone on the electoral register can vote by post. You can have a postal vote for just one election, for all elections in a set period, or for all elections indefinitely. To make it easy for you to apply for a postal vote, there is a tick box alongside each name on the form. If you want to apply for a postal vote, you should tick the box and an application form will be sent to you.

ANNUAL CANVASS OF ELECTORS [insert year]

You must by law give the information requested in this form.

Be sure to include:—

• British citizens, citizens of other Commonwealth countries or of the Irish Republic.

• Citizens of other Member States of the European Union—you should therefore include all citizens of the following States:

  Austria	Finland	Ireland	Poland
  Belgium	France	Latvia	Portugal
  Cyprus	Germany	Lithuania	Slovakia
  Czech Republic	Greece	Luxembourg	Slovenia
  Denmark	Hungary	Malta	Spain
  Estonia	Italy	Netherlands	Sweden

• These citizens will be registered as local government electors only (unless they are also Commonwealth citizens such as citizens of Cyprus and Malta, or citizens of the Irish Republic, who can vote in all elections).

• Those living in your household who are 16 and 17 years old—they can vote as soon as they are 18. Please give their dates of birth in Part 4.

• Those who normally live in your household but are away for the time being—for example on holiday, as students, or in hospital (including voluntary patients in psychiatric hospitals).

• Anyone who is away working, unless they are away for more than six months.

• Any other residents, lodgers or guests (but not short-stay visitors) in your household, whether this is a private address, a hostel or a club.

Don't include:—

• Foreign nationals—except for citizens of Member States of the European Union (see list of States above).

• People under 16.

• Anybody who will be leaving your address before 15th October [insert year].

Jury Service

Please put a tick in Part 5 for anyone who is eligible to vote and who will be 70 or over on 15th October [insert year].

People aged 70 and over cannot sit on a jury. Those who may not be able to sit on a jury for other reasons will be able to say so if they receive a jury summons.

European Parliamentary Elections

If you are a citizen of a Member State of the European Union, you may be able to vote in European Parliamentary Elections in this country if you wish, but you will need to fill in another form to allow you to do so. Ask the electoral registration officer for more details.

The two versions of the register

The electoral registration officer makes and keeps two versions of the electoral register—the full register and the edited register.

Please put a tick in Part 6 against anyone who wishes their name and address to be excluded from the edited register. Each elector must choose each year whether they want their details to be excluded from the edited register. You must therefore ask each of them their preference before completing this form. You must decide whether to tick the box even if you have ticked it on a previous canvass form.

The full register

The full register lists everyone who is entitled to vote and includes their address. You can check it by calling at the council offices or at some local libraries. Only certain people and organisations can have copies of the full register, and they can only use it for specified purposes. The main use of the full register is for elections and referendums, but it can also be used for other purposes such as the prevention and detection of crime and for checking your identity when you have applied for credit. Details of others who can have copies of the full register and what they can use it for are given in the Representation of the People (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2002 (SI 2002 No.1871). These regulations are available on the internet at www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/stat.htm or you can buy a copy from The Stationery Office Ltd. It is a criminal offence not to comply with the regulations. For example, it is a criminal offence either to pass the full register on to anyone or to use it for any purpose, except as allowed by the regulations.

The edited register

The edited register leaves out the names and addresses of people who have asked for them to be excluded from that version of the register. The edited register can be bought by anyone who asks for a copy and they may use it for any purpose.

How to return this form

First, please check that you have read and completed the form, and signed the declaration. Then return it in the envelope provided or fold the form up as the instructions tell you. Otherwise you can send it or take it to your local Council’s electoral services office.

PART II Form of words about the two versions of the register

The two versions of the register

The electoral registration officer makes and keeps two versions of the electoral register—the full register and the edited register.

Please say in your application if you wish your name and address to be excluded from the edited register.

The full register

The full register lists everyone who is entitled to vote and includes their address. You can check it by calling at the council offices or at some local libraries. Only certain people and organisations can have copies of the full register, and they can only use it for specified purposes. The main use of the full register is for elections and referendums, but it can also be used for other purposes such as the prevention and detection of crime and for checking your identity when you have applied for credit. Details of others who can have copies of the full register and what they can use it for are given in the Representation of the People (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2002 (SI 2002 No.1871). These regulations are available on the internet at www.legislation.hmso.gov.uk/stat.htm or you can buy a copy from The Stationery Office Ltd. It is a criminal offence not to comply with the regulations. For example, it is a criminal offence either to pass the full register on to anyone or to use it for any purpose, except as allowed by the regulations.

The edited register

The edited register leaves out the names and addresses of people who have asked for them to be excluded from that version of the register. The edited register can be bought by anyone who asks for a copy and they may use it for any purpose.