Running electoral registration - England

When can entitlement to be registered be determined?

When can entitlement to be registered be determined?

You should determine entitlement as soon as is practicable. If possible, you should make your decision by the relevant deadline for the next register update. This will either be a notice of alteration or the publication of the revised register.

Making a decision quickly will ensure that your register is kept as up-to-date as possible.  

If you decide that a person is entitled to be registered, the application must be listed and made available for objections for five working days. Further information can be found in our guidance on the objections process.

You must not list any applications accompanied by an application for anonymous registration. This is because an anonymous registration application cannot be objected to.1 You can therefore allow an anonymous registration application as soon as you have made a decision that the application meets all of the requirements for registration.

What happens after the five day objection period?

After five clear working days have passed from the day the application was listed, and if no objections have been received, you can determine/allow the application without a hearing. 

If an objection has been made you must consider it before determining/allowing the application. 

If you decide an objection to be without merit you can determine/allow the application.2  

If you decide that the objector is not entitled to object, you can disallow the objection. You must inform the objector that you have not allowed their objection.3 If not, the determination of the application will be made alongside the determination of the objection.

Further information on the process can be found in our guidance on objections.

Do applications to register to vote have to be acknowledged? 

There is no legal requirement for an application to be acknowledged. However, you do have discretion to send an acknowledgement. In all cases, you are required to send a confirmation if the application is successful. 
 

Last updated: 6 October 2020