Wolverhampton residents are being reminded to ensure they don’t miss out on the opportunity to vote. All households should have received a form asking people to check whether the information that appears on the electoral register for those living at the address is correct. The aim of the form is to ensure that the electoral register is up to date and to identify any residents who are not registered so that they can be encouraged to do so.
With both the city council and police and crime Commissioner elections taking place in May 2016, this is an opportunity for residents to make sure that when the elections take place they can participate.
Keith Ireland, electoral registration officer at City of Wolverhampton Council said:“Anyone who wants to vote must be registered. To make sure you are able to have your say at the elections next year, simply check the form and return it as promptly as possible.”
“If you’re not currently registered, we can send you information explaining how to do so or you can just go online to easily apply to register at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote”
It’s particularly important that anyone who has moved address recently looks out for the form and checks whether they are registered.
Research by the independent Electoral Commission indicates that across Great Britain, recent home movers are far less likely to be registered than those that have lived at the same address for a long time. The research showed that 94 % of people who have been at their property for more than sixteen years will be registered compared to 40% of people who have lived at an address for less than one year.
The same research indicates that whilst almost 95% of outright home owners are registered, this is the case for only 63% of private renters.
Kay Jenkins, Head of English regions at the Electoral Commission said:“The annual canvass is an opportunity for people to easily check whether they’re registered. It’s essential for a healthy democracy that everyone who is entitled to vote is able to, and for those who need to registering is now easier than ever with the online system of registration.”
“If you have changed address in the last year, it’s particularly likely that you will need to register at your new address, so check the form as soon as it arrives.”