We are required to make contact with all households in Warwick District Council each year, to establish if the records we hold are accurate and up to date. We do this by sending out communications to identify everyone who should be on the electoral register.
We invite those who are currently not registered, but should be, to join the register. We also aim to identify people who are no longer at a property and should be removed from the register.
A revised version of the electoral register is published by 1 February.
Respond to the annual canvass
When you have received an email or a request through the post, the quickest and easiest way to respond is online.
Respond to the annual canvass online
- Enter your unique 2 part security code from your email or printed on your letter
- Check that the information for your property is correct
- Confirm your details, or make any changes, and press 'Confirm'
Where will I find my security code?
Your unique security code can be found in our email to you or will be printed on the letter sent through the post.
How will we contact you?
- Email – If we hold an email address for someone in your household, we will send an email with instructions on how to respond using a two-part security code, this email will be sent from Elections@warwickdc.gov.uk.
- Post – If we do not hold an email address for someone in your property OR you fail to respond to the email communication, we will send a form through the post.
- Door Knock – Our Canvassers will start door knocking properties who have not responded to our previous communications.
How does the canvass work?
The first step in the Annual Canvass is to determine which communication route your household fits into. There are 3 different routes - Route 1, Route 2 and Route 3.
We do this by data matching with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and also using Local Sources such as council tax to match with the records we currently hold on the Register.
| Route | Details |
|---|---|
| Route 1 | The matched property route - a response is only required if there is a change to the property (email communications require a response) |
| Route 2 | The unmatched property route – A response is always required from the canvass communications regardless if there are any changes |
| Route 3 | The defined property route – households with multiple occupancy, student accommodation, residential care home will all be canvassed by appointing a Special Responsible Officer to confirm household details |
How do I complete the information requested on the canvass communication?
Completing the form only takes a few minutes. You need to include the name and nationality of everyone aged 16 or over who is resident and eligible to register to vote. If there are no eligible residents, you should state why this is the case. If anyone listed on the form is not living at your address, their name/s should be clearly crossed through.
What will happen after I complete the canvass communication?
Any new names provided on the form allows us to send a separate individual registration form to those in your household who are not yet registered. Alternatively, new electors can go online and register. If any names are crossed out, it allows us to remove anyone who no longer lives at the property.
I don't have the internet
If you can't go online, you can:
- confirm no changes to the details by calling 0800 197 9871 and entering part 1 and part 2 of your security code
- text NOCHANGE followed by part 1 and part 2 of your security code to 80212
- return the form by post, though calling is preferable
- call Electoral Services helpline 01926 456105
Open Register
The open register, is an extract of the full electoral register. This version is available to anyone who wants to buy it, such as businesses or charities.
Your name and address will be included in the open register unless you ask for them to be removed. Removing your details from the open register does not affect your right to vote.
If you would like to opt out of the open register, please email elections@warwickdc.gov.uk and a member of our team will assist you.
Contact Details
We do not maintain the Household website for voter registration; it is maintained by Civica Electoral Services. Please let Civica know directly if you experience any technical problems with the website. Contact Support-CESvotes@civica.co.uk.
For general queries about electoral registration or elections, please contact the Electoral Services Office on (01926) 456105 or email: elections@warwickdc.gov.uk.
Canvass Frequently Asked Questions
I’ve missed the deadline for responding to the email. What do I need to do?
Those who have not responded to the email will receive a canvass form through their door, see timetable.
Full details on how to complete the form online, by phone, via text, or by post are all contained in the form.
Why have I received a paper form when I responded to the email check?
A small number of households may still receive a paper form after responding to the email check. This is because email responses were processed after the deadline to respond. If your email response was received after this date, you are likely to receive a paper form.
If you receive a paper form, please follow the instructions on the form and respond by the deadline.
I am already registered; why do I continue to get a canvass form?
The canvass is undertaken annually and is sent to every property. You will be contacted every year to find out if there have been any changes to who is living at your address. If there are changes, you must provide the information requested. The purpose of the canvass communication is to confirm who lives at your address. This means we can invite other residents, including any 16- and 17-year-olds, to register to vote if we need to.
I am not listed on the canvass form; will the canvass form register me?
No, the canvass communication is designed to collect this information. The information you provide will allow us to send a separate individual registration form to all the people in your household who are eligible and need to register. It will also help us to make sure that anyone who is no longer at the property is removed from the register.
Do I have to respond to a canvass communication?
The Government introduced changes to the canvass in 2020 which has allowed some details to be confirmed automatically. This means some households may not need to complete a form.
If you have been sent a canvass letter confirming the names of people already living at your address, you must respond if any information is wrong, or if there are people eligible to register to vote who have not been included. The letter will tell you the circumstances in which you do not need to reply.
However, if you have been sent a canvass communication which says you must respond, you are required to do so by law, and must provide the information requested on the form, even if there are no changes.
There is a criminal penalty for failing to provide the information required by the canvass form to the Electoral Registration Officer of a maximum of £1,000. The penalty for providing false information to an Electoral Registration Officer is imprisonment of up to 51 weeks, or (on summary conviction) an unlimited fine.
How do I complete the information requested on the canvass communication?
The quickest and easiest way to provide the information or confirm that there are no changes is to use the online reply service. Go to www.householdresponse.com/warwick and enter the two parts of your unique security code when prompted.
Completing the information only takes a few minutes. You need to include the name and nationality of everyone aged 16 or over who is resident and eligible to register to vote. You can also say if anyone listed no longer lives at the property, or if there are no eligible residents.
Why is the link not to the Warwick District Website? Is the householdresponse/warwick website legitimate?
The canvass is undertaken on the householdresponse website at www.householdresponse.com/warwick. This is a legitimate website for the annual canvass and has been used in previous years. The website is a standalone website that our contractor provides to handle the volumes.
Who is eligible to be registered/included on the canvass form?
- All British, Irish Republic and qualifying Commonwealth citizens who are resident. (Qualifying Commonwealth citizens are those persons who have leave to enter or remain in the UK, or who do not require such leave.)
- For EU citizens, all of the below plus see EU citizen guidance on eligibility.
- All 16- and 17-year olds. (They will be eligible to vote when they become 18, but not before.)
- All persons who normally live at your address but are temporarily away - e.g. on holiday, as students, or in hospital.
- Anyone who is away working, unless their absence will total more than six months.
- Any other residents, lodgers and guests (but not short stay visitors).
I am an EU Citizen, should I list myself on the annual canvass
EU citizens will no longer automatically be entitled to register, vote or stand for election. HOWEVER, two groups of EU citizens will retain their voting and candidacy rights and should be registered and included on the canvass form.
Citizens of the following EU member states must be included in the canvass form:
|
Republic Of Ireland* Denmark Spain Portugal Poland Luxembourg Malta** Cyprus ** |
Citizens from any of these EU countries must be listed on the canvass form. Aged 16 or above who are resident at the property. |
|---|
*Rep of Ireland citizens have voting rights that pre-date EU , and these remain unchanged
**are Commonwealth Countries – see who is eligible
Citizens of the following EU member states must be included in the canvass form if they were legally resident in the UK before 31 December 2020.
|
Austria Belgium Bulgaria Croatia Czech Republic Estonia Finland France Germany Greece Hungary Italy Latvia Lithuania Netherlands Romania Slovakia Slovenia Sweden |
Only EU citizens from any EU country listed who were already legally resident in the UK before 31 December 2020 should be included in the canvass form.
|
|---|
I have changed my nationality/or I have more than one nationality/or the nationality you have for me is incorrect?
Please list all nationalities on the canvass form.
I want to post my return, but the envelope states a London address – is this legitimate?
Yes, CIVICA, our electoral print contractor, is securely processing all postal returned canvass forms. These are normally sent to London and are similar to how other authorities process their canvass forms due to the volumes.
I have a son / daughter who is away at university. Should they be included on the form?
Students temporarily living away from home are entitled to be included on the register for their temporary university address and their permanent family home address. They are allowed to vote from both addresses for local elections but are not allowed to vote twice in the same election (for example, they could vote at local elections at their university address and here in Warwick District. But, at a parliamentary general election, they can only vote once at one location)
There are people listed on the canvass communication that don’t live here. What do I do?
If anyone listed on the form is not living at your address, you should provide the information via the online reply service. Go to www.householdresponse.com/warwick and enter the two parts of your unique security code when prompted. You can then inform us that this person/people need deleting. Alternatively, simply score using their name on the form.
Nobody is entitled to register to vote, so what do I do?
You still need to respond to the canvass communication if the property is empty, a second home, used only for business purposes or no one is eligible to vote. The person in charge of the property should respond via the online reply service at www.householdresponse.com/warwick.
We are due to move soon. What should we do?
You should still respond to the canvass communication by the deadline stated on the form. As the register is held in ‘real-time’, the information on the canvass should reflect the household composition on the day you complete the canvass form. Once you have moved house, you can then re-register to your new address.
When you have moved house, to register at your new property, please visit www.gov.uk/registertovote or contact your local Electoral Services team. When you re-register at your new property, you will be asked to provide your former address, and this will automatically remove your entry at your former address.
I received a canvass communication, but some of my information needs changing. How can I update it?
You can tell us about any alterations as part of the online reply service. For instance, if your nationality has changed, you are now 76 or over, you have had a name change or want to opt out of the ‘open register’, you can provide the information online. We will then make the change or contact you if we require further information. Please provide a contact telephone number or email address so that we can get in touch with you.
What will happen after I complete the canvass communication?
Any new names provided in the response will allow us to send a separate individual registration form to those in your household who are not yet registered. If names are deleted, it will allow us to start the process to remove anyone who no longer lives in the property.
I have already applied to register. Do I need to respond to the canvass communication I’ve received, too?
Yes. The canvass communication is not a registration form; instead, it provides us with information on who lives in your household. This means we can invite other residents, including any 16- or 17-year-olds, to register to vote if we need to.
I have already responded to a canvass communication. Do I need to return the individual electoral registration form I’ve received, too?
Yes, you should complete and return the registration form or register online at www.gov.uk/registertovote. The canvass communication is not a registration form; instead, it provides us with information on who lives in your household. The Individual Electoral Registration Form asks for additional information so that we can process your voter application.
I never vote in elections. Do I need to return the form?
You should respond to the information required even if you do not intend to vote. The information published in the register also gets used for credit reference purposes, so next time you try to buy a mobile phone or other item, a credit check could prove difficult.
How can I get help with responding to the canvass communication?
You can contact Electoral Services at Warwick District Council for further help and advice about your registration.
Alternatively, you can email your name and address and query to elections@warwickdc.gov.uk, and one of the team will get back to you.
You can find more information about voter registration online at www.warwickdc.gov.uk and on the Electoral Commission website at www.electoralcommission.org.uk
If you are not currently registered for voting purposes, you can register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Is the data I enter online secure?
The online registration service and the data you provide is secure. It has been independently accredited, tested for security and developed to meet best practice guidelines for data security.
How do I join or get removed from the open (edited) register?
Using information received from the public, registration officers keep two registers – the electoral register and the open register (also known as the edited register).
The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote in public elections. The register is used for electoral purposes, such as making sure only eligible people can vote. It is also used for other limited purposes specified in law, such as detecting crime (e.g. fraud), calling people for jury service and checking credit applications.
The open register is an extract of the electoral register but is not used for elections. It can be bought by any person, company or organisation. For example, it is used by businesses and charities to confirm name and address details.
Your name and address will be included in the open register unless you ask for them to be removed. Removing your details from the open register does not affect your right to vote.
You can change your opt-out preference at any time by making a request with your full name and address and an indication of whether you wish to be included in or omitted from the edited register. You can do this by writing to us or emailing elections@warwickdc.gov.uk.
Does being on/off the open register affect my credit score?
No, the Credit Reference Agencies are supplied with the full electoral register and being on or off the register does not affect credit ratings.
One of the occupants now lives overseas but wishes to continue to vote?
If the move overseas is only temporary, for example, a short work or educational stay, then they do not need to be crossed off the canvass form.
If the move overseas is permanent and they are a British Citizen, they should register at www.gov.uk/registertovote as a British Citizen residing overseas.