The Electoral Register
The Register of Electors is a list of everyone in the district who has successfully applied (and is eligible) to vote. You are only entitled to vote if your name appears on this register. If you have moved during the year you should go to gov.uk/register-to-vote or contact the council you have moved to.
Normally, the revised register is published every year on the 1st of December.
How to Register to vote
Everyone is responsible for registering themselves, you do not need to register separately for every election. You must register again if you've changed address, name or nationality .
You can now register online at gov.uk/register-to-vote - it's easy and only takes a few minutes. You will need to input your date of birth and National Insurance number (which can be found on your National Insurance card, or on official paperwork such as payslips, or letters about benefits or tax credits). This requirement makes the electoral register more secure. Your on-line application is then processed, which can take a day or so. We will let you know if its successful. If we require some further proof of identity, we will let you know.
Alternatively you can complete this Registration form (this particular form is not suitable for HM Armed Forces, Crown Servants living abroad, Overseas Electors, people with no fixed address in the area, patients in mental hospitals, and prisoners on remand.) Once completed you can return it to Stratford-on-Avon District Council, Elizabeth House, Church Street CV37 6HX or email it to elections@stratford-dc.gov.uk.
Why you need to Register
By law, you must be on the Electoral Register if you are eligible to be on it.
As well as enabling you to vote at national and local elections, it is a way for you to get a credit rating from Credit Reference Agencies. If you're not registered, it may impact you when applying for things like mortgages and mobile phones. This is because credit agencies use the register to validate applications.
Many people wonder why they have to be on the Electoral Register if they already pay Council Tax. The Electoral Register is a separate register to Council Tax and we cannot register people on their behalf. By law, people need to register themselves.
If we have invited you to register to vote, it is important that you respond. If you don't, we will send you reminders through the post and someone will visit your home. At the end of this process, we may send you a requirement to register. If you fail to do so without providing adequate reason why you have not, you may be fined £80.
Once you have registered, you will usually be able to vote from the beginning of the next month. You will receive a letter that tells you the exact date.
In some cases, you may receive a paper 'Invitation to Register' after registering online. Online registration can take a few days to process so it is possible that the letter was prepared before your online registration was processed. You do not need to return the paper form if we have confirmed that we have received your online application.
Electoral Registration eligibility
To be eligible for inclusion on the register, you must be aged 16 or over.
You can register to vote if you're a British citizen or an Irish citizen.
You can also register if you have permission to enter or stay in the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man - or you do not need permission - and you're a:
- Commonwealth citizen
- citizen of Denmark, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal or Spain
- citizen of another EU country, if you have had permission to enter or stay - or not needed permission - since 31 December 2020, and this has continued without a break
Separate arrangements are made to register members of HM Armed Forces, Crown Servants living abroad, Overseas Electors (British Citizens living abroad), people with no fixed address in the area (who can register by means of a "declaration of local connection"), patients in mental hospitals, and prisoners on remand.
The Electoral Register and the Open Register
There are two registers. Why?
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 full electoral register
This lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote in the area in public elections. The full 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
- checking credit applications
The open register
The open register is an extract of the electoral register, but it is not used for elections. By law, it can be bought by any person, company or organisation. For example, it may be 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 it to be removed. Removing your details from the open register may reduce the amount of junk mail you receive but does not affect your right to vote.
You can make a request to be removed from the open register by emailing elections@stratford-dc.gov.uk.
You can find more information about both registers and how they may be used at gov.uk/register-to-vote.
Electoral Registration FAQ's
Here are the answers to some common questions we receive regarding Electoral Registration. If you do not find the information you're looking for, please email any queries to elections@stratford-dc.gov.uk.
How can I find out if I'm already registered to vote?
To enquire as to whether you are registered to vote, you can email elections@stratford-dc.gov.uk or call us on 01789 260208.
Do I have to let you know if I move?
Yes, please. You should also let the council you move to know, or you may not be able to vote in their elections. Go to gov.uk/register-to-vote or contact the council you have moved to.
What if I want to look at the Register of Electors?
The full electoral register is available for inspection at the Council Offices at:
Elizabeth House
Church Street
Stratford-upon-Avon
CV37 6HX
If you want to inspect the Register of Electors, the following rules apply:
- The Register is open to public inspection, under supervision.
- Extracts from the Register may be recorded only by making hand-written notes. Photocopying or taking a photo or video is not permitted by law.
- Information taken from the Register must not be used for direct marketing purposes unless the information has been published in the edited version of the register.
Under these regulations, anyone who fails to observe these conditions is committing a criminal offence. The penalty is a fine of up £5,000.
Students living away from home
Students can register in more than one place. They do not need to be removed from the register at home, even if they have registered at their university address.
Students can vote in local elections if registered in two areas. By law, they can only vote once in Parliamentary elections.
People in the armed forces
Members of the armed forces can register as service voters or as an ordinary elector at their home address. To register as a service voter you can visit www.gov.uk/register-to-vote-armed-forces.
Working abroad
If your employment takes you out of the country for more than six months in one year, you should register as an Overseas elector. You will need to have been previously registered in the Stratford-on-Avon area. Overseas electors can only vote at national elections.
Living overseas
If you are a British Citizen living overseas and have been registered to vote or resided in the Stratford-on-Avon area previously, you can register online as an overseas voter at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
Voting without a 'permanent residence' in Stratford-upon-Avon
If you are homeless, living in temporary accommodation, or are mooring, you may be classed as living in a non-permanent residence.
If you don't have a permanent residence in Stratford-upon-Avon, but are connected to the district, you can register as a 'Local Connection' elector. Please complete this form and return it to elections@stratford-dc.gov.uk.
Further Information
For further information, please contact Election Services:
To find out more about electoral registration, visit Your Vote Matters.
