Annual Canvass Begins

LOCAL residents are being warned not to lose their voice on important decisions which affect them by making sure their electoral registration details are up to date, as the new annual canvass process begins this week.

With Local Borough Council elections taking place in Reading in May 2024 - as well as a more immediate by-election in Norcot ward on Thursday 3 August 2023 - the canvass is an important opportunity for residents to make sure they can take part.

Reading Borough Council’s annual canvass has begun with letters being sent to households across the town from this week. The process ensures that it can keep the electoral register up to date, identifying any residents who are not registered and encouraging them to do so.

Michael Graham, Returning Officer at Reading Borough Council, said:

 “It’s really important that residents keep an eye out for messages from the Council, so we can ensure we have the right details on the electoral register for every address in Reading.

 “Some households will first receive their first letter (known as ‘Canvass Communication A letter’) from the Council this week.  This is only being sent to those households where we have been able to match details with the Department of Work and Pensions.  People will only need to respond to this letter if the electoral register information is incorrect.  The quickest and easiest way to reply is online by following the details given in the letter.

 "At the end of July some households will receive a ‘Canvass Communication B letter’ from the Council.  This communication will be sent to households where we have not been able to match details.  People will need to respond to this letter to ensure the electoral register information is correct.  Again, residents are encouraged to reply online following the details and instructions given in the letter.

 “If you’re not currently registered, your name will not appear in the communications we send. If you want to register, the easiest way is online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote or we’ll send you information explaining how to do this in the post.”

People who have moved recently are particularly encouraged to look out for the voter registration messages from Reading Borough Council and check the details. Research by the Electoral Commission 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. Across Great Britain, 92% of people who have been at their property for more than sixteen years will be registered, compared to 36% of people who have lived at an address for less than one year.

Information on registering to vote is available on the Electoral Commission website https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/

Residents with questions about their registration status can contact the council’s electoral services team on elections@reading.gov.uk or by calling 0118 937 3717