This week, Rutland County Council have begun emailing residents to collect household information in their Annual Canvass.

The annual canvass takes place from July to December. This is when RRC send communications to every home in Rutland and ask occupants to check the information held on the electoral register for that address.

The information households provide then allows RRC to identify anyone not currently registered to vote, so that they can invite them to register.

This is something the Council are legally required to do.

The Annual Canvass of Electors is an important chance for people to make sure they're able to vote in future elections.

If an email address is not held for a household or no reply is received, the Council will send a paper form known as a Canvass Communication A, which will list the names of those registered to vote at the address. Providing, the information is correct there is no need to respond. 

If there is not a complete data match, RCC are required to send a Canvass Communication B, which does require a response by law. These forms will normally be sent out in mid-July once residents have had the opportunity to access the initial email.

If someone in your household is not currently registered to vote their name will not appear on the canvass communication form and you must add them in your canvass response. They will then be sent an invitation to register but they can also do this themselves to prevent a paper form being sent by going online at the national GOV.UK website.

Find out more about the Annual Canvas here.

Alternatively, contact Rutland County Council on [email protected].