Delivering the annual canvass - England

What does the revised register contain when published?

The full register

You must publish a full register of electors combined as far as possible into one register for all election types, and containing the appropriate franchise markers.
  
The format of the register is not prescribed but must contain, with the exception of certain special category electors, the name, address and elector number of every eligible elector whose application to register has been determined by the relevant deadline.1
 
Where an individual will only attain voting age at some point during the period of 12 months following the 1 December, the elector's entry in the register must give the date on which they will attain the age of 18 and until that date the individual shall not be treated as an elector for any purpose unless an election takes place on or after the date given as being the date the individual turns 18.2  

Your revised register must include all additions and amendments to the register which you have determined by the relevant deadline.3
 
Only when an application has been made and successfully determined can an individual be added to the register. Information provided in response to a canvass communication and any names identified through checking local records cannot be treated as an application to register or be added to the register. 

You should also ensure you action any deletions that you have determined since the publication of the last notice of alteration in the revised register.

The edited register

An elector’s name and address will be included in the edited register unless they ask for them to be removed.

You must publish a revised edited register which is an exact copy of the full register, but excludes those who have opted out of their details appearing, at the same time as you publish the revised full register.4
 
In addition you must continue to publish the edited register on the first working day of every month. This duty applies all year, including during the canvass period, and any requests from existing electors to change their opt-out status will need to be reflected.

However, if you choose not to publish notices of alteration in the 2 months preceding the publication of the full register following the annual canvass, any monthly revised edited register must not include or remove any details of any electors that are not already existing electors previously included on the full register or any alteration notice.5
 
You are required to publish a fully integrated updated version of the edited register rather than a notice setting out the changes.6  However, you do not have to print a full edited register every month, only if you are producing one for somebody who has requested it.
 
For more information see our guidance on processing a change to an elector’s edited (open) register preference.

Describing the full and edited registers

The terms ‘full register’ and ‘edited register’ are the technical terms used in the legislation. The terms ‘electoral register’ and ‘open register’ have to be used to describe the full and edited register to members of the public, to make it easier to understand the purpose of each register and how it is used. In specific instances where we mention the edited register in the guidance in this context, we refer to the edited register as the ‘open register’. Otherwise we use the term ‘edited register’.

List of overseas electors

You must keep a separate list or lists of overseas electors.7  You must publish this and make it available for inspection and supply when you publish the revised register.8
 
The list must be compiled in alphabetical order by surname within each constituency or part of a constituency within your area.9  It must specify both the qualifying address and the full address outside the UK of each overseas elector.