Annual Electoral Registration Canvass

Each September, Exeter City Council's Electoral Services section begin the process of compiling the annual Electoral register. Over 51,000 registration forms are issued to every household in the city.  The Electoral Registration Officer is obliged to ensure that a return is received from every household and may need to send canvassers to call at properties which have not returned their form by the end of October. This is a costly process, so it is helpful if households return their forms promptly. It is a legal requirement to do so.

* This year however, due to the forthcoming Police & Crime Commissioner elections due on 15 November 2012, the annual canvass will be conducted earlier during July, August and September.

How to fill the form in

The form is addressed to "The Occupier"  but will have the names of the people currently registered at that property will be pre-printed on it.

• If there are no changes to the information. you only need to sign and date the form, tick the "edited register" box if appropriate and then return it in the envelope provided.

• If any of the people on the form are no longer a resident at the address cross them out.

• If there are any new residents in the property enter their details on a blank line.

• You must include the nationality of each person as some nationalities are not eligible to vote. To see the nationalities eligible to vote click here  Eligible Nationalities [29kb]

• If you wish to apply for a postal vote put a tick in the postal vote column.

• Put a tick in the column for Jury Service Exemption for any person who will be 70 or over on 1 December (16 October this year, * see above) of the current year.

• Put a tick in the column for any person not wishing to be included on the Edited Register. For an explanation of the Edited Register see below. This is an annual requirement.

• Enter the names of anyone who will be 18 by the 30 November of the following year in section 2.

• If the property will be empty on 15 October,or the property is a business premises or the residents are not entitled to vote due to their nationality or there is another reason why there are no eligible electors who can be included on the form, please tick the relevant box in section 3 and return the form.

• Make sure that you sign and date the form before you return it.

Two versions of the electoral register are produced  - the full register and the edited register. Your name and address will appear on the full register, but you can choose whether or not your details appear on the edited register by ticking the box on the form. The full register contains the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote. You can view the full register at any area electoral office. Only certain organisations are allowed to have copies of the full register. It can only be used for: electoral purposes, crime prevention and detection, and vetting applicants for credit. It is a criminal offence to use it for any unauthorised purpose or to pass it on to anyone else. The edited register is available for general sale and can be used for any purpose, including commercial activities such as marketing. It excludes the names and addresses of people who have opted out by ticking a box on the registration form. It is necessary to tick this box and renew your choice annually.