Delivering the annual canvass - England

What do I need to consider for a December election?

For any election held in December, the notice of election will be published before the deadline for publishing the revised register.

Impact on candidates and political parties

The nomination of candidates is based on the register in force on the last date for publication of the notice of election. If you have published your revised register by the last date for publication of the notice of election, this will be the register candidates and agents need to use for collecting subscribers. If not, it will be your last published notice of alteration.
 
You should ensure that candidates and their agents are aware of which register to use when collecting subscribers for the purpose of completing their nomination papers. 

It is particularly important that candidates and parties who have requested a copy of the revised register and election notices of alteration are provided with copies as soon as possible after publication. This will assist candidates and political parties to engage with electors and campaign effectively where the publication of the revised register takes place during an election period. 

Poll cards

Returning Officers (ROs) must send poll cards to electors entitled to vote at the election as soon as practicable after publication of the notice of election. 

You may wish to take this into consideration when deciding whether or not to publish the monthly notices of alteration during the annual canvass period. If you are the ERO for an electoral area that crosses local authority boundaries, you should liaise with the other ERO(s) and RO in reaching your decision.

Choosing to publish these additional notices may help to mitigate any renumbering issues caused by the publication of revised registers after poll cards and postal votes have been issued.

If you choose not to publish the monthly notices of alteration during the canvass period, poll cards sent before the publication of the first interim election notice of alteration will be based on data which would not reflect any additions or deletions determined after the deadline for the September monthly update.
 
In these circumstances there is an argument that the earliest point it would be practicable to issue poll cards would be immediately following the publication of the first interim election notice of alteration so that the data used reflects additions and deletions determined during the canvass period.
 
If you are not also the RO, you should work with them to put mechanisms in place to ensure that poll cards can be sent to electors as soon as possible after the first interim notice has been published. See our guidance on election notices of alteration and the deadlines for applications to be made for inclusion on those notices.

ROs need to make clear in polling station staff training that the elector numbers on poll cards may be different to the numbers allocated to electors when the register is revised. They should explain that this does not affect a person’s entitlement to vote and that they should not refer to the elector number printed on the poll card when marking the register and completing the corresponding number list. 

Instead, when the elector provides confirmation of their name and address, use the number as it appears against the elector’s details in the polling station register for completing the corresponding number list.
 
Polling station staff should be briefed so they are able to respond to any queries from electors who may question why the number being read out and written on the corresponding number list is different to the one which is printed on their poll card.