Running electoral registration - England

Confirming applications and declarations

Application confirmations

If you have determined that an applicant is entitled to be registered, you must confirm to them that their registration application has been successful.1 You can deliver the confirmation to the applicant by post or by email.2  

You should also include, alongside the confirmation, information on any absent voting arrangements that are in place. If no arrangements are in place, you should make clear what their absent voting options are and how to make an application. 

If you have rejected a registration application, you must notify the applicant and inform them of the reasons why.3

Renewal confirmations 

You must inform the elector of the outcome of a submitted renewal declaration.4 You may decide to communicate this by sending a confirmation letter, but this is not mandatory. You could also confirm that renewal has been successful by email.  

This communication could also include information on when their declaration will expire, how and when they will next be reminded to renew it, what absent voting arrangements they have in place and, if they have none, information on absent voting options.

You should make the elector aware of the general timings for dispatching postal votes ahead of an election and could advise the elector to appoint a proxy as an alternative if it is not realistic for their postal ballot pack to be dispatched, completed, and returned before the close of poll. It is, of course, the elector’s choice as to which method of voting they prefer, but it is important that they can make an informed decision.

The form and format of the confirmation will be at the discretion of the ERO. 
 

Last updated: 14 May 2024