Register of electors

Salford's Register of Electors (otherwise known as the electoral roll) is a record of everyone who lives within the city and is eligible to vote. You can only vote if your name is on the register of electors. Athough you do not have to vote on election day (it is your choice), you are required by law to register.

• How can I register to vote?
• The two versions of the register
• When will my name appear on the register?
• Who is eligible to be registered?
• Can I inspect and buy the register?
• 2011 Annual Canvass

How can I register to vote?

We update the register every autumn at the annual canvass. However, you do not have to wait until the autumn to register, we can add, delete and amend names throughout the year through rolling registration.

There are two ways you can register:

1. From December 2011 up to August 2012
   If you move house or your registration details change, you can apply to register by completing an Electoral Registration Form. The register is updated on the first working day of each month. However, no amendments are made during the annual canvass period of September, October or November.
2. From August 2012 - November 2012
   Everyone who is eligible to vote must be put on the annual canvass form, which each household in the city receives in the August to October period. Even if you are already registered or there is no one eligible to be registered you must complete the form. The register of electors is then published on 1 December each year.

If you would like to register, you can contact the Electoral Registration Office for an application form, or alternatively let us know your details and we'll post you an application form.

Once you have completed and signed the form, return it to the address shown at the foot of this page.

Please note that we are unable to process forms electronically because a signature is required for legal purposes, and each person applying must complete a separate form.

It should also be noted that being on the council tax list does not mean that you are on the Register of Electors.

Before completing your voter registration form, it is important to read the notes carefully, especially the notes that refer to the 'edited' and 'full' Register of Electors.

The two versions of the register

The city council is required to keep two versions of the current electoral register. These are the full register and an edited register.

In the past, anyone could buy a copy of the register of electors. But the law has now changed so that you have some choice about who can buy details of your name and address. You may elect to have your name removed from the edited register if you wish.

Full Register

This version of the register shows the names and addresses of everyone registered to vote and is updated every month. Anyone can look at it, but copies can only be supplied for certain purposes, such as elections and law enforcement.

Credit reference agencies are also allowed to buy the full register but can only use it to check your name and address if you are applying for credit, and to help stop money laundering. Anyone who has a copy of the full register will be committing a criminal offence if they unlawfully pass on information from it.

You do not have a choice about your name and address being on this register.

Edited Register

This version of the register is available for general sale and can be used for any purpose. You can choose not to appear on the edited register by ticking the relevant box on the voter registration form.

The edited register is kept separate from the full register and updated every month. It can be bought by any person, company or organisation and could be used for different purposes such as checking your identity and commercial activities such as marketing.

The choice you have to make

If you choose not to be included on the edited register, your name and address will only appear on the full register, which will only be used for certain lawful purposes, such as elections, law enforcement and checking applications for credit.

If you choose to be included on the edited register your name and address will appear on both the full register and the edited register, which anyone can buy. This means your details can be used for any purpose.

When will my name appear on the register?

We will be updating the Register of Electors in accordance with the statutory timetable below:

If we receive your form by	You will be added to the register on
Monday 12 December 2011	Tuesday 3 January 2012
Tuesday 10 January 2012	Wednesday 1 February 2012
Wednesday 8 February 2012	Thursday 1 March 2012
Friday 9 March 2012	Monday 2 April 2012
Wednesday 18 April 2012	Thursday 26 April 2012
Thursday 10 May 2012	Friday 1 June 2012
Friday 8 June 2012	Monday 2 July 2012
Tuesday 10 July 2012	Wednesday 1 August 2012
Friday 10 August 2012	Monday 3 September 2012

You should note that in the run up to an election, you will only be able to vote at that election if your name has been added to the register of electors by not later than 11 working days prior to the election date.

Who is eligible to be registered?

You must be 18 years old or over OR must attain the age of 18 before 1 December in any given year.

For anyone who is not yet 18, you will need to put your date of birth on the registration form. You will only be able to vote at elections from your 18th birthday.

Eligibility criteria

• You must live in the city of Salford
• You must be a British, Commonwealth, Irish or European Union citizen. Download list of countries eligible to register below
• Anyone who normally lives in your home but is away temporarily
• Anyone who is working away from home for less than six months
• Students, if this is their normal home address out of term time
• Lodgers and anyone else who lives in your home(but not short stay visitors)

Who should not be registered?

• Children who will still be under 18 by 1 December
• People who are not British, Irish, Commonwealth or European Union citizens
• People who live or work abroad for more than six months of the year (although they can apply themselves to vote as overseas electors)
• People who are long-stay patients in psychiatric hospitals (special arrangements can be made for long stay voluntary patients)
• Convicted prisoners (but do include prisoners on remand)

Can I inspect and buy the register?

Full register
The full register is available for inspection under supervision at Salford Civic Centre reception from Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 4.30pm.

You may look at the register and make handwritten notes only. No photocopying or using a dictaphone to record information is allowed.

Edited register
The edited register is available for open inspection at Salford Civic Centre reception from Monday to Friday between 8.30am and 4.30pm.

Only the edited version of the register is available for general purchase. The cost of the register depends on how many names appear on the register for the area you want to buy. To check the price for a certain part of the register contact the Electoral Registration Office on 0161 793 3195 or email elections@salford.gov.uk with details of the part of the register you want to buy, whether you want it in paper or data format and to check the postage costs.

The cost of purchasing the register is set out in the 'Representation of the People' Act, and is not determined by Salford City Council.

Legislation sets out the basic formula for the fees in relation to purchasing the edited register, which is as follows:

• Paper copy: £10 plus £5 per 1,000 names (or part of)
• Data copy: £20 plus £1.50 per 1,000 names (or part of)

Please note that the full and edited registers are not on the internet.

2012 Annual Canvass

In order to keep the register of electors as accurate as possible a canvass registration form will be delivered to your property in August 2012. This form will show the names of the people who are on the register up to and including 1 August 2012, and by law must have be completed and returned.

If you do not respond to the first canvass registration form then you will be sent a canvass reminder form. If we do not receive a response from either communication then a canvass inspector will have be appointed to visit your property to obtain the required information.

The Annual Canvass runs from August to November. All councils across the country are required by law to contact every residential property in their area to obtain the details of all residents who are eligible to vote in the UK. It is also a legal requirement for each property that has been sent a form to respond and provide the information requested even if the property is only used for business purposes and even if residents do not qualify to be included on the Register of Electors. The information gathered allows us to compile a revised Register of Electors which is published on 1 December every year.

The law

The Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001, Section 23 reads as follows:

Power to require information 

1. A registration officer may require any person to give information required for the purposes of that officer's duties in maintaining registers of parliamentary and local government electors.
2. A registration officer is under a duty to require persons to give information required for the purposes of that officer's duty under section 3(1) of the Juries Act 1974.
3. If any person fails to comply with any such requisition of the registration officer as is mentioned in this regulation, he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level three on the standard scale £1,000.

How to complete the form

All eligible names must be added to or confirmed on this form, but only one member of the household needs to sign it. If the details that are pre-printed on your form are correct, you must still reply in order to remain on the register. The correct information can be confirmed in one of four ways:

1. By signing and dating the form and returning it to us in the prepaid envelope provided
2. Using the free automated telephone response service
3. Via the internet
4. Via SMS text

If the details need to be updated and not just confirmed, amend the form as necessary, then return it promptly in the prepaid envelope provided. Failure to do so will result in you receiving further correspondence from the Electoral Registration Officer.

For an explanation of the purpose of the canvass in another language please see below.

Who to contact

Name

Sara Rushton

Address

Elections Office
Salford Civic Centre
Chorley Road
Swinton
Salford
M27 5DA
Map to this location

Telephone

0161 793 3195

Email

elections@salford.gov.uk

This page was last updated on 25 November 2011