How do I register to vote?
The registration system changed in June 2014. It is now the individual's responsibility to make sure they are registered on the electoral register.
You can register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote, You will need to provide your name, new address, old address, National Insurance number and your date of birth.
You need to be on the electoral register to vote in UK elections and referendums. You are not automatically registered even if you pay Council Tax. The electoral register is the list of everyone who is registered to vote.
Who can register to vote
You can register to vote if you are:
- 16 years old or over and
- a British citizen
- an Irish, EU or qualifying Commonwealth citizens. Qualifying Commonwealth citizens are those who have leave to enter or remain in the UK, or do not require such leave.
There is also another category of elector:
- Anonymous - you can register as an anonymous elector for safety reasons - for example you are escaping violence. To register anonymously you will need documentary evidence like a court order or an injunction. Please contact us for more details.
Electoral Register Canvass 2020
Find out what you need to do for the 2020 electoral register canvass.
Every year the government asks us to check the details of everyone registered to vote in households across Hart. This year, we will be carrying out this exercise between August and November.
Impact of Covid-19 on this year's canvass
The canvass process is required by law. It has not been suspended as a result of Covid-19.
When you're contacted, if you need to make a change to your registration information, please respond as soon as you can. It will make sure the process runs smoothly. It also means there will be no need for any additional contact, which is particularly important at the moment.
Changes for this year
This year, we're streamlining what we do by comparing data we hold against Council Tax records and the Department for Work and Pensions in advance.
This is a three-phase process, so please check the letter you have received carefully to see if you need to respond.
Phase 1
In August we sent letters to residents whose data matched with our records. If the information is correct, no action is needed - unless you need to make changes.
Phase 2
In September, we sent letters to residents for whom we were unable to match with our records. Households will need to confirm who is eligible to vote or make any amendments by following the instructions on their letter. You can do this by using the household enquiry website for Hart. You will need to enter part 1 and part 2 of the security codes shown on your letter.
Phase 3
If you receive one of the letters in Phase 2 which asks you to respond and we do not receive a response from you, you will be sent a Canvass Form with a pre-paid envelope to return to us. This will be your last chance to confirm your details and if no response to the Canvass Form is received, your name and/or property will be removed from the Electoral Register.
Adding new people to your household (two-part process)
If anyone new is added, each person will then need to register individually. They can do this at Register to vote - GOV.UK website. They will need their national insurance number to complete the process.
Making a change to open register preferences for others in your household
If you are the person completing the online enquiry, you can make changes to your preferences and decide if you want your information to be included in the open register.
The security codes can only be used once, so anyone else who wants to make changes to their open register option can use: our changing your open register preference online form. If you have informed us in previous years, you do not need to do so again.
The electoral register contains the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote. You can view the electoral register at the Civic Offices. Only certain organisations are allowed to have copies of the electoral register. It can only be used for: electoral purposes, crime prevention and detection, and the vetting of applicants for credit. It is a criminal offence to use it for any unauthorised purpose or to pass it on to anyone else.
The open register is available for general sale and can be used for any purpose, including commercial activities such as marketing. It excludes the names and addresses of people who have opted out.
Cancel your postal or proxy votes
If you have a postal or proxy vote and decide you want to cancel it, you can do so using our cancel your postal or proxy vote online form.
To arrange to vote by post or by proxy (someone voting on your behalf at your polling station) more information can be found on the voting by post or proxy page.
The 2021 electoral register
We will produce a full and a public version of the electoral register on 1 December 2020.
If you have any enquiries regarding electoral services please contact us:-
Electoral and Registration Services
Civic Offices
Harlington Way
Fleet
GU51 4AE
Telephone 01252 774073, 01252 774157 or 01252 774158 or email elections@hart.gov.uk
