Residents in Mansfield district are being urged to look out for their voter registration details which they will receive by post, email or text.
The voter registration details are being sent by Mansfield District Council as part of the annual canvass, which it is required to do by law. This ensures that the council can keep the electoral register up to date, identifying any residents who are not registered so that they can be encouraged to do so.
The council's Electoral Services team will be sending 18,470 emails and texts to residents from Monday 19 July and 32,248 letters are due to land on doormats across the district later in the week. Residents are asked to check the information they receive and follow the instructions provided.
This provides an important opportunity for residents to make sure they can take part in future elections and not lose their voice on decisions that affect them by making sure their electoral registration details are up to date.
The next scheduled elections due to take place in Mansfield are the Mayoral and the Mansfield District Council elections in May 2023.
Hayley Barsby, Chief Executive and Electoral Registration Officer at Mansfield District Council, said: “It’s important that residents keep an eye out for messages from Mansfield District Council, so we can make sure we have the right details on the electoral register for every address in the Mansfield district area. To make sure you are able to have your say at future elections simply follow the instructions provided.
“If you’re not currently registered, your name will not appear in the messages we send. If you want to register, the easiest way is online on the Government's website (opens in new window), or we’ll send you information explaining how to do this in the post.
People who have moved home recently are particularly encouraged to look out for the voter registration messages and check the details.
Research by the Electoral Commission indicates that recent home movers are far less likely to be registered than those who have lived at the same address for a long time. Across Great Britain, 92% of people who have been at their property for more than 16 years will be registered, compared to 36% of people who have lived at an address for less than one year.
Melanie Davidson, Head of Support and Improvement at the Electoral Commission, said: “It’s really important that everyone who is entitled to vote is able to do so. Checking the messages that you will get from your local authority is the easiest way to see if you’re registered to vote. If you’re not, make sure you provide the necessary information to your local authority when it is needed and register to vote online.”
Residents who have any questions can contact their local registration team by emailing elections@mansfield.gov.uk.