Torbay residents are to receive important voter registration information, to ensure they are able to vote in future elections.
Forms will soon be dropping through letter boxes across Torbay asking residents whether the information that appears on the electoral register for their address is correct, as part of Torbay Council’s annual voter registration canvass.

The aim of the form is to ensure the electoral register is up to date and encourage any residents not registered to do so. This will give residents the opportunity to vote in the Police and Crime Commissioner elections taking place across the country in May 2016.

Any residents that have any questions can contact Torbay’s Electoral Registration Office on 01803 208008 or email electoral.registration@torbay.gov.uk

Councillor Andy Lang, Executive Lead for Corporate Services, said: “Anyone that wants to vote must be registered. To make sure you are able to have your say at the elections next year, simply check the form when it arrives and return it as promptly as possible.

“If you’re not currently registered, you will be sent information explaining how to do this or you can just go online to apply to register at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote .”

It’s particularly important that anyone who has moved address recently looks out for the form and checks whether they are registered.

Research by the independent Electoral Commission indicates that across Great Britain, recent home movers are far less likely to be registered than those that have lived at the same address for a long time. The research showed that 94 % of people who have been at their property for more than sixteen years will be registered compared to 40% of people who have lived at an address for less than one year.

The same research indicates that whilst almost 95% of outright home owners are registered, this is the case for only 63% of private renters.