Annual Canvass is a confirmation exercise to maintain and update the Electoral Register.
The annual Canvass requires the Electoral Registration Department to contact all residential addresses in Ceredigion to establish if the information that we hold on the Electoral Register is complete and accurate.
There is a legal framework that sets out the statutory requirements of the annual Canvass and as a Local Authority we have to ask for this information. The Canvass process is organised and conducted by the Council, however the Council will be closely monitored by the Electoral Commission.
In previous years the Occupier of the household would have received an A3 Household Enquiry Form (HEF) which required all households to complete either online or by returning the form in the pre-paid envelope.
This process has now changed and all Local Authorities have been working in conjunction with the Cabinet Office to make the changes to the annual Canvass.
We would be grateful if you could comply with the requirements.
If you have received an A4 letter known as a Canvass Communication A form, please visit Canvass Communication A Form for further information.
If you have received an A4 letter known as a Canvass Communication B form, please visit Canvass Communication B Form for further information.
If you have received an A3 letter known as a Canvass Communication form, please visit Canvass Communication Form for further information.
- Please read the form carefully
- Please check that every person who is over the age of 14 living with you is listed on the form, if there is information missing or requires updating please let us know
Please note: It is important that you respond to your Canvass Communication Form as soon as possible if you have any changes to be made.
Information on voting for 14-16 year olds and qualifying foreign citizens
Once we have received your response it will be checked by the Electoral Registration Office.
If you have identified any changes, additions or deletions these will be updated and processed. The Electoral Registration Office will write to you if any further action is required.
If you have informed us that there are no changes then this will also be confirmed on the Electoral Register.
If you have provided us with the name of a person who is not currently registered on the Electoral Register then we will sent them an Invitation to Register Application form in the post. They can also complete an Invitation to Register Application form online.
You can register to vote if you are:
Resident (usually live) in Wales and aged 14 or over (but you will not be able to vote in Senedd elections until you are 16. You will not be able to vote in UK Parliamentary, local council or Police and Crime Commissioner elections until you are 18).
You must also be either:
- A British, Irish or European Union Citizen, or
- A Commonwealth citizen or foreign citizen who has leave to enter or remain in the UK, or who does not require such leave
Yes. You have been sent this second form, the ITR, because you were newly added to the HEF. You need to complete and return this form in order to complete your registration. There is a potential £80 fine if the form is not completed.
No. You can complete the form online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote or you can fill in the form and return it by post in the envelope provided. We will write to you to confirm once your registration is successful.
Date of birth and National Insurance numbers are checked against government records to verify the person’s identity. This is intended to make the system more secure.
Yes. As with the HEF, failure to respond to the form could be met with a fine. In the case of ITRs, the fine is £80.
To arrange to vote by post or to vote by proxy (someone you trust voting on your behalf) you can download an application form on the Electoral Commission website. To change any existing postal or proxy vote arrangements contact the Electoral Services Team.
Using information received from the public, registration officers keep two registers – the Full Register and the Open Register (also known as the edited register).
The open register is an extract of the electoral register, but it is not used for elections. It can be bought by anyone and used for many purposes including confirming name and address details and direct marketing purposes.
Removing your details from the open register does not affect your right to vote. If you are aged under 16 your details will not be included in the open register.
More information on the open register and electoral register.
We collect information under the legal basis of a task carried out in the public interest, as set out in the Representation of the People Act 1983, the Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 and related regulations.
We look after personal information securely and follow data protection legislation.
If you opted-out of the open register we will only use the information you give us for electoral purposes, including matching it against other sources of data to support the electoral register.
If you are currently registered, where applicable, we have processed your data correctly. We will not give personal information to anyone else, unless we have to by law.
The law requires us to share your information with candidates, political parties and campaigners for democratic engagement purposes and credit reference agencies to check your identity when you apply for credit.
If you have not opted-out of the open register your name and address can be bought by anyone and used for lots of purposes, including direct marketing.
GDPR - Privacy statement
We will only use the information you give us for electoral purposes. We will look after personal information securely and we will follow the data protection legislation. We will not give personal information about you or any personal information you may provide on other people to anyone else or another organisation unless we have to by law.
The lawful basis to collect the information in this form is that it is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest and exercise of official authority as vested in the Electoral Registration Officer as set out in Representation of the People Act 1983 and associated regulations.
Some of the information that is collected in this form is classified as special category personal data. This is processed for reason of substantial public interest as set out in Representation of the People Act 1983 and associated regulations. To process this type of information the Data Controller must have a relevant policy document that sets out how this information will be handled.
You should refer to the Privacy Notice at for further information relating to the processing of personal data.
Full Register
The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote in public elections. The register is used for electoral purposes, such as making sure only eligible people can vote. It is also used for other limited purposes specified in law, such as detecting crime (e.g. fraud), calling people for jury service and checking credit applications.
Open Register (edited)
The open register is an extract of the electoral register, but is not used for elections. It can be bought by any person, company or organisation. For example, it is used by businesses and charities to confirm name and address details. Your name and address will be included in the open register unless you ask for them to be removed. Removing your details from the open register does not affect your right to vote. You can change your opt-out preference at any time by making a request with your full name, address and an indication of whether you wish to be included in or omitted from the edited register. You can do this in writing or over the phone by contacting Electoral Services, Ceredigion County Council, Penmorfa, Aberaeron, Ceredigion SA46 0PA; email electoralservices@ceredigion.gov.uk; telephone 01545 572032. We will also write to you to confirm any change.