23 Sep 2008
“If I pay council tax, I’m automatically registered to vote” is just one of the myths about registering to vote that the Electoral Commission are trying to dispel as, across the country, local authority election officials update the electoral register.
Every year electoral registration officers hear many reasons for not registering to vote, and many of these are based on misunderstandings.
Don’t let these myths stop you from having your say on how your area is run, or on who represents you at Westminster and the European Parliament.
- “I pay council tax, so I’m already registered to vote”.
o Fact - If you do pay council tax, you’re not automatically registered to vote, you need to fill out a separate form that your council will send you and return it as quickly as possible.
· “When I register to vote, my details are passed on to loads of marketing companies”.
o Fact:- You can opt out of the version of the electoral register that is sold to marketing companies so your details will only be used for electoral and other limited statutory purposes.
- “There are only elections every four years so I don’t need to bother registering this year”.
o Fact:- There are lots of elections which affect your area and the people who represent you. There are Parliamentary, local government and European elections, as well as elections in some parts of the UK to devolved bodies. So you may find that there are elections happening almost every year that are relevant to you.
- “I won’t bother registering because I won’t be able to vote as I’m at work”
o Fact:- Polling stations are open from 7am until 10pm for all UK elections, so everyone should have time to fit voting in. If you’re unable to make it to the polling station you can apply for a postal vote or ask someone else to cast your vote for you (a proxy).
- “It’s too much hassle to find someone to look after the children while I go and vote”.
o Fact: you can take your children into the polling station with you on election day, or use a postal vote, or proxy vote.
- “I’m away at college on election day, so I can’t vote”
o Fact: - A student can register to vote at their term-time address as well as their home address. Then you can choose which is the most convenient place for you to cast your vote – but remember, you can only vote once!
- “English isn’t my first language, so I can’t get a registration form”
o Fact: - You can download a registration form from www.aboutmyvote.co.uk. The site has forms in 13 languages, including Bengali, Chinese, Polish, Punjabi and Urdu.
Andrew Scallan, Director of Electoral Administration at the Electoral Commission said:
"Remember, you aren’t automatically registered just because you pay council tax or if you have registered previously. Registering is the only way to make sure you can have your say, which is why the Electoral Commission is urging everyone to take a few minutes now to secure their vote for the future.
"It's simple to register: just fill in the form which will be coming through your door from your local electoral registration officer. Add the names of any new members of the household aged 16 or over, and cross out the names of anyone who no longer lives at your address. Then sign the form and return it to your local electoral registration officer. “
“There are elections to some local authorities in England and European Parliament elections scheduled for 2009, and a UK Parliamentary general election can be called at any time. If you aren’t on the electoral register, you will miss out on the chance to have your say on who represents you”.
The Electoral Commission’s website www.aboutmyvote.co.uk has lots of information about how to register to vote and information about how to contact your local electoral registration officer to make sure that you are registered to vote.
/ends
For more information, please contact
The Electoral Commission press office: 0207 271 0704
Out of office hours 07789 920414
Email: press@electoralcommission.org.uk
Notes to editors
1. The annual canvass takes place between September and November every year. An annual canvass form will be sent to every property by your local council and a new register will be published on 1 December 2008.
2. British, Irish, qualifying Commonwealth and EU citizens who are resident in the UK are eligible to join the electoral register.
3. Although you cannot vote until you are 18, you can be included on the electoral register from the age of
