Local residents are being urged not to lose their right to vote on matters that affect them by completing their Household Enquiry Form and returning it to Electoral Services in Barnet as soon as possible.
Electoral Services
The form ensures that Barnet Council can keep the Register of Electors up to date and identify any residents who are not registered so that they can be encouraged to do so. This will mean that once registered residents will be able take part in any future elections.
By law we must conduct a full canvass of all residential properties every year to keep the Register of Electors as accurate and complete as possible. If you do not respond to the form, the council must send a reminder and then make a personal visit to each property to confirm that they have all the information that is required to keep the Register of Electors up to date.
Please help us to save time and money by responding to this form as quickly as possible.
John Hooton, Electoral Registration Officer at Barnet Council said: “It’s important that residents respond as soon as possible, so we can make sure we have the right details on the electoral register for every address in Barnet. To make sure you are able to have your say at elections next May, simply check the form when it arrives and respond as soon as you can.
“If you’re not currently registered, your name will not appear on the form. 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. In any case, you will still need to respond to the form.”
Melanie Davidson, Head of Support and Improvement at the Electoral Commission, said: “It’s really important that everyone who is entitled to vote is able to do so; checking the form that will arrive through the post is one of the easiest ways to find out if you’re already registered. There’s lots of helpful information about registering to vote on our website www.yourvotematters.co.uk.”
People who have moved address recently are particularly encouraged to keep an eye out for the form and check the details. Research by the independent Electoral Commission indicates that recent home movers are far less likely to be registered than those that have lived at the same address for a long time. Across Great Britain, 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.
Residents who have any questions can contact Barnet Electoral Services at ero@barnet.gov.uk or 020 8359 5577