Annual Canvass
Every year Stratford-on-Avon District Council Electoral Services are legally required to check the details that we hold for your household for the purpose of publishing an accurate Register of Electors. You need to be on the Register of Electors in order to vote in elections.
We do this by contacting all residential addresses in the district to ask if the details we hold are still accurate. Contact will be made either by letter or email, asking residents to check the information we currently hold is correct, even if you have recently registered to vote, your house is empty or you have just moved.
The information we receive is used to invite unregistered residents to register to vote and to remove the names of electors who are no longer living at their registered address.
How we will contact you
All residents who have previously provided the Council with their email address for electoral registration purposes, will initially receive an email. This email is not spam and requires a response. Other people in your household may also receive this email. Only one person in your household needs to respond as the security codes can only be used once. If you do not respond to the email, a paper form will be posted to you, however, we prefer not to do this due to the cost involved.
If we do not hold an email address for anyone in the household or if we are not sure the information we have about your household is correct, you will receive the request through the post.
Properties will be contacted in different phases, so not all addresses will receive correspondence from us at the same time. If you receive a request for information, please respond straightaway. If we do not receive a prompt response, we are required to send reminders and may also employ canvassers to visit your property to obtain the necessary information.
Where new names are provided, an invitation to register will be sent by post or emailed to those eligible to register to vote. These names will not be included in the electoral register until the individuals have made successful applications to register to vote. There is no need to wait for the invitation - any new residents who are eligible to vote should register to vote as soon as possible.
Please note that your response may not automatically update information on the electoral register. We will contact you if further action is required.
How to respond
The communication you receive will tell you whether or not you need to respond. You must reply in all circumstances where there are changes to be made to the information shown.
If changes are required, the quickest and easiest way to do this is online by following the instructions in the communication you receive. You will need the security codes that are printed on the communication.
Whether you have received the email or a communication through the post, the quickest and easiest way to respond is:
• Go to www.householdresponse.com/stratforddc
o Enter your unique security codes from your communication and your postcode
o Check that the information for your property is correct
o Confirm your details, or make any changes, and press 'Confirm'
You can also respond by:
Post: Amend the form and return in your own envelope, if one is not provided, to Stratford-on-Avon District Council, Elizabeth House, Church Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6HX.
Phone: Only if the details shown are correct then you can call 0800 197 9871 and when prompted enter your security codes.
SMS: Only if the details shown are correct then text NOCHANGE followed by your security codes to 80212 (standard charges apply).
Remember: If you are asked to provide information please do this as soon as possible to avoid a canvasser calling at your household.
Frequently asked questions
I have completed a canvass form before, do I have to respond?
Canvass forms are sent annually, if you receive a request for information, please respond straightaway. Each year the Electoral Registration Officer must republish the register of electors. We contact every residential property because we need to ensure that the details we hold are accurate. Responding promptly will stop reminders and personal visits. If you believe you have been sent a second canvass form for the current year's canvass, you can email elections@stratford-dc.gov.uk or call 01789 260208 to check that we have successfully received your response. Due to the nature of the postal process, crossovers can happen where we send a reminder letter when your response is making it's way back to us.
I'm registered with Council Tax, why do I need to register again?
Being registered for Council Tax does not automatically place you on the electoral register. You need to register to vote every time you move house.
Can anyone respond?
Yes, as long as the person providing the information has a connection to the property e.g. current resident, property owner/manager. Only one response per household can be submitted online.
The people listed on the form do not live here anymore - what shall I do?
You can indicate this when you respond online or cross them out when completing the paper form. Don't forget to add the names of all current residents who are eligible to vote so we can update our records correctly.
I have dual nationality - why haven't you listed both of my nationalities?
We can only record one nationality for each elector and we automatically list the nationality that will give you the most voting rights.
I am about to move - what shall I do?
If you have a confirmed move date that is before 1 December, you should respond by deleting (or crossing through) your name before ticking the 'Property Is Empty' option.
If you are not sure when you are moving or your confirmed move date is after 1 December, add/confirm your details and register to vote at your new address once you have moved.
You have sent a form to my shop/business. Do I need to respond?
If there is a residential part of the shop/business, the residents or property owner/manager needs to respond. If the property is purely used for business purposes and nobody lives there, delete any registered names and tick the 'This is solely a business property' option.
I have lost the form/email. How can I find the security codes needed to respond online?
Please wait for reminder letters or emails and respond then, or contact Electoral Services at elections@stratford-dc.gov.uk or call 01789 260208.
I don't have access to the internet?
If you cannot go online, please wait to receive a paper form which you can then complete and return by post. Alternatively you can visit Elizabeth House, Church Street, Stratford-upon-Avon, CV37 6HX, or call 01789 260208.
Do I list everyone who lives at the property?
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. Who is eligible to vote?
My child is living away at university, should I register them here or at their term time address?
Your child can register at their home address as well as their university address but must not vote more than once in the same election. This means they can vote in local elections at both addresses as long as they are in different local government areas. They cannot vote at both addresses in a parliamentary election.
Further information can be found at:
Electoral Commission https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/electoral-register
Or Email us at elections@stratford-dc.gov.uk
