Save your vote and save your money

Archived press release

Date Published: 15/08/08

Canvassers will be visting non-responding households later this year

Letters to more than 71,000 homes across Aylesbury Vale will be arriving over the Bank Holiday weekend as AVDC begins its annual canvass of electors.

Residents should see if the names of eligible voters in their households are correct, then follow the instructions to confirm or correct the details.

All households need to register their details on an annual basis to enable them to vote in local and national elections.

Residents in Aylesbury Vale who are registering to vote this year have many ways of doing so – and now have the new facility of registering by text.

The council is offering SMS text, telephone and internet registration, using a two-part security code printed on the top of the registration form, if households have no changes to make to their details.

Those householders that need to add or remove names from the electoral register are still required to make the necessary amendments to the form, which must be signed and returned to the council in the pre-paid envelope provided.

However, if the details are to remain the same, replying via SMS text, telephone or internet registration services is better for the environment and also saves the council money, as postage and processing costs are greatly reduced.

Each year around 34 per cent of householders in Aylesbury Vale do not respond to the first form. This prompts the council to send reminders at additional expense to taxpayers. Even after the reminders are sent the council is left with about 19 per cent of households who do not respond.

The law requires the council to visit, at least once, all properties that have not responded to the reminder. It is compulsory to register and people can be fined up to £1,000 for not doing so.

Councillor Michael Edmonds, Deputy Leader of AVDC, said: “I would urge all householders to register as soon as possible. The earlier we receive information the better as we have to send out reminders to those households that haven’t responded so it costs the council more money.

“We have been working to ensure local residents can register to vote and update their details more easily and hope many will take advantage of the freephone, text and internet facilities provided. It is vital that people register to vote to ensure they can take part in any elections and exercise their democratic rights.”

The register will be based on where people will be living on 15 October and it will be published on 1 December.

As with last year, the council will commence calling on non-responding properties in the four-week period from the middle of October to mid November.

Residents who do not receive a registration form by mid September or who need more information are asked to contact electoral services on 01296 585807 or email electoralreg@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk