Annual electoral registration canvass

Annual electoral registration canvass

It is a legal requirement to contact every household to check:

• whether we have the correct people registered to vote
• to ask residents to inform us of any changes.

We are contacting households from July through to the end of November 2023 to do this.

Data matching

In order to try and make the canvass as efficient as possible, electoral registration data has been matched against Department for Work and Pensions data, and data held by the Council including Council Tax information. The type of communication that is sent to each household will vary depending on whether it has been possible to match the details of all the voters in a household against one of these data sets.

Canvass Communication A

Where it has been possible to match the details of all the voters in a household against one of the data sets, the households will be sent a "Canvass Communication A" letter (CCA). This is a letter confirming the details of who is registered. Residents do not need to respond to this letter if there is no change. These letters will be dispatched around 22 August.

Genuine communication

Where we have an email address for a voter in a household that will be receiving a CCA, we will email them in mid July. If we have an email address for more than one person in the household then multiple emails will be sent out but only one person will need to respond. The email will provide a link where residents can check and confirm the information for their address online.

If voters respond to this email by 7 August then the CCA letter will not need to be posted to the household. This will save the Council money. Please be assured that these emails are genuine and will be sent from: electoral.services.london.borough.of.croydon@notifications.service.gov.uk

Canvass Form

Where it has not been possible to match the details of all the voters in a household against one of the data sets, households will be sent a Canvass Form.

Residents must respond to this form either:

• online
• by phone
• by text
• by completing and returning the form

The quickest way to respond or inform us of any changes is online. The website for responding online is www.householdresponse.com/croydon. This is a safe and secure website operated on behalf of the Council and other local authorities.

There will be pre-paid return envelopes included with the canvass forms sent out.

If a response is not received to the Canvass Form, then a reminder form will be sent to the household later in the year, and may be followed up by a personal visit from a canvasser employed by the Council during October and November. 

Please follow instructions

Please read any communications you receive carefully Instructions will be provided where a response is needed from you.

Legal requirement

It is a legal requirement for residents to confirm details relating to their property. If you do not provide this information you may be fined £1,000.

What to do if someone lives at the property but is not listed on the form

Anyone not listed who lives at the property needs to be included in the response to update the register. They should also register to vote at gov.uk/register-to-vote.

Find out more about registering to vote.