Thousands of residents across the Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge area face losing the right to vote in upcoming elections, the district council has warned.
Sedgemoor District Council’s Electoral Services team is carrying out an annual audit of all properties in the Burnham-On-Sea area from 1st October 2013 in order to ensure that all eligible residents are included on the Register of Electors 2014.
“The law requires residents to provide details requested on the Voter Registration Form. This information is required every year from all households in the district. We ask that people check the information pre-printed on the form,” council spokesman Claire Faun told Burnham-On-Sea.com.
“If the details are correct then just sign, date and return the form to us by post. Alternatively, a quicker more efficient way to confirm your registration is to make use of the Internet, freephone or text services. If there are changes to be made, please make the necessary amendments and then sign, date and return the form to us by post.”
If there are no changes to make on the form, residents can confirm their registration using www.registerbyinternet.com/sedgemoor, by telephoning the freephone number: 0800 0197 7688, or by texting 7688 to 80212, these services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You will need the two part security code printed on your form to use these services.
If there are changes to be made to the details printed on the form amend as necessary by crossing through the names of any residents who no longer live at the property; make any amendments if names are spelt incorrectly or have changed; add the names of any residents not listed who are eligible to be registered and if there is no one eligible to be registered complete section 4 or 5 if applicable, sign the declaration in part 6 and return the form in the prepaid envelope provided as soon as possible.
.MORE DETAILS ABOUT THE FORM
WHO SHOULD AND SHOULD NOT BE INCLUDED ON THE FORM:
Please include:
•British, Commonwealth and Republic of Ireland Citizens
•Citizens of British Overseas Territories
•Qualifying citizens of other Commonwealth countries (That is, those who have leave to enter or remain in the UK or do not require such leave);
•European Union member states;
•Those living in your household who are 16 and 17 years old (they will be eligible to vote as soon as they are 18)
•Those who normally live in your household, but are away for the time being, for example on holiday, studying or in hospital (including voluntary patients in psychiatric hospitals: and
•Anyone who is away working (but for not more than six months)
I HAVE RECENTLY REGISTERED DO I STILL NEED TO FILL IN THIS FORM?
If you have already made a new application to be added to the electoral register before 10 October 2013 then your name will be added to the November updates to the register. Sedgemor District Council will already have acknowledged your original application by writing to you if this is the case. You will still need to fill in the Annual Voter Registration form otherwise your names may not stay on the register when it is published on 17 February 2014.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I DO NOT RETURN MY FORM?
You will be sent a reminder after approximately 4 weeks, if the reminder is not returned residents will be seeing Electoral Services canvassers in their neighbourhood from December 2013 to late January 2014. They will be making personal visits to very property in the District that has not compiled and returned the annual canvass form. They will ask the householder to confirm the details held on the current Register of Electors and if no one is home they will post a calling card, asking you to call Electoral Services direct. This is a costly way of collecting your details, so do not delay and return your form as soon as possible.
