Archived press release

Date Published: 21/08/07

Aylesbury Vale residents who register to vote this year will be in with a chance of winning a £1,000 cash prize. Electoral registration forms are being delivered to every household in the district from 23 August, and everyone who registers ...

Aylesbury Vale residents who register to vote this year will be in with a chance of winning a £1,000 cash prize.

Electoral registration forms are being delivered to every household in the district from 23 August, and everyone who registers to vote before 16 September will be entered into a draw for the prize.

Households who miss the 16 September deadline will still have the chance to win a cash prize. There will be £500 up for grabs for those households who register before 9 November.      

All 16 and 17-year-olds who are listed on a registration form before 9 November will be entered into a separate prize draw with the chance to win an 80GB iPod video.

It’s hoped the incentives will encourage people to register to vote at the first time of asking and help the council reduce the costs of printing and delivering reminder notices and employing electoral canvassers.

Last autumn, registration forms were delivered to around 69,000 households, but more than a third of these – just over 23,000 – did not register to vote at the first time of asking and had to be sent a reminder. The cost of posting the reminders was more than £4,500.

A letter publicising the free prize draw offer will accompany every electoral registration form delivered to homes in the district. The letter will also remind people that they are required by law to register.

As well as losing the right to vote, the potential consequences of failing to register include being refused credit or a loan from lenders who check prospective borrowers’ identity against the electoral register. By not registering, people also run the risk of being prosecuted and fined up to £1,000.

Councillor John Cartwright, Leader of the Council, said: “Councils are expected to improve the number of households on the electoral register as part of the national drive to encourage people to vote at election time. We hope the free prize draw will persuade more people to register their details and help us reduce the cost of printing and posting reminders.

“If the incentives encourage 5,000 more households to respond promptly this year – and we hope it will appeal to many more than that – the prizes will be paid for in saved postage alone. Registration is quick and easy so I would urge households to register their details as soon as possible.”

All adults eligible to vote in each household should be registered on the form. Any 16 and 17-year olds should also be included as they will be able to vote if they are 18 by polling day.

Households can register by telephone or online if the details printed on the registration form are correct. People can register their details simply by calling 0800 197 6185 or by logging on to www.registerbyinternet.com/aylesbury

If there are any changes to the information printed on the form, householders will need to correct it and post the form to the electoral services office as soon as possible, using the reply-paid envelope provided.

Personal calls will be made to all those who fail to return their registration forms by 12 October so that the register published on 3 December is as complete as possible.

The prize draw will be carried out by Councillor John Cartwright, Leader of the Council, on 3 December. Winners will be notified by post.
 
For further information or assistance call the electoral services telephone helpline on 01296 585807 or visit the council’s website at www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/elections