Buckinghamshire residents are being urged to ensure their electoral registration details are up to date through the annual canvass.

All residents will be contacted during August and September and will receive an email or a letter from Buckinghamshire Council asking to confirm that the names of people listed as eligible to vote in their household are correct.

Being on the electoral register means that you can have your say and vote in future elections – plus it can also help with your credit rating. All you need to do is to read the email or letter carefully and follow the instructions on how to respond, if necessary. And don’t worry, it’s very quick and easy!

If you’re not currently registered, your name won’t appear on the messages sent. If you need to register to vote, the easiest way is to apply online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. You will still need to respond to the canvass.

Lisa Marie Williams, Buckinghamshire Council’s Director of Legal & Democratic Services, said:

“We will begin contacting residents this week. Please be assured that emails coming from ‘elections@canvass.buckinghamshire.gov.uk’ with a subject line of ‘Electoral Registration – Response Required’ are legitimate, and not part of a scam, which we know was a concern for some residents last year.

“We strongly encourage residents to respond to their email or letter promptly, and online if possible. This will reduce the amount of printing, postage, and transport usage all which impact negatively on the environment – which the council is striving to protect as part of our Bucks Climate Challenge. Additionally, it helps us to save money and nearly £25k was saved last year thanks to residents responding online to the canvass.

“Finally, I’d like to remind voters that they now need to provide an accepted form of photo identification to be able to vote in person. This includes voting on behalf of someone else as a proxy vote.”

Further information on the annual canvass can be found on the Election pages of the council’s website at: www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/confirm-voting-details

Any residents who have any questions can contact the council’s Electoral Registration team at elections@buckinghamshire.gov.uk or by calling 01296 798 141.