Electoral registration takes place on a local basis by each local authority Electoral Registration Officer. The electoral register is updated on a monthly basis, except between August and November when local authorities perform an annual canvass of their area. You can register to vote at any time of the year by contacting your local authority to ask for a registration form. You can find their contact details by visiting www.aboutmyvote.co.uk, where you can also download a registration form. If you have recently moved house or changed your name, you will need to re-register to be eligible to vote.
There are two versions of the register - the full version and the edited version. Your details will appear on the full version of the register, but you can choose to exclude your details from the edited register by ticking the 'opt out' box on the registration form. The full register is used for elections, preventing and detecting crime, and checking applications for credit. The edited register is available for general sale and can be used for commercial activities such as marketing.
