How do I Register to Vote?

The Register of Electors is a list of all those residents in the District who are eligible to vote in various elections. It also contains a list of overseas voters whose last registration to vote was at an address within Hart District, Service personnel who have registered under a service declaration and can include the names of homeless persons if they can claim some local connection. If you are not on the Register of Electors, you cannot vote.

More and more the Register of Electors is being used to confirm an individual's address, especially if they are applying for credit such as a mortgage, personal loan or even a mobile telephone.  If you are not registered you will probably be refused credit as well as losing your right to have your say via the ballot box.

To register to vote during the following period, please click on the appropriate link below

• December to August - Rolling Registration
• September to November - Annual Canvass
• Once an election has been called

How do I check that I am registered to vote?

To check whether your name is included on the Register of Electors you can inspect the Register at the Civic Offices or, alternatively, contact Electoral & Registration Services.

Rolling Registration  

You can apply to be included on the register of electors by using the form in the download area on the right.

If your form is completed correctly your name will be placed on a new applicant list.  Provided that no-one objects to your name appearing on the Register of Electors for the address you give, you will be added to the Register on the next available update.

Regulations provide for the Register of Electors to be updated on the first working day of each month.  However, there is a deadline each month for the receipt of applications for inclusion in the update due to be effected the following month.  Please see the table below for the relevant dates by which your application must be received by Electoral Services for inclusion the next month. Each elector must sign their own application form, someone else cannot do this for them.

We will advise you when your name has been added to the Register of Electors and also in the event that someone has raised an objection to your inclusion on the Register of Electors.

Also, being on the Council Tax Register does not automatically mean that you are on the Register of Electors.  The two registers contain different information.

Rolling Register Updates 2008

Provided we receive your application form on or before the date shown in column 1, and there is no objection, then your name will be added to the register on the appropriate date shown in column 2.

Annual Canvass

Each year, at the end of August, Electoral & Registration Services sends out a voter registration form to each of the 36,000 households in Hart District asking them to register all eligible electors and anyone who will become 18 during the life of the next year's Register of Electors.  All electors' details are updated during this annual canvass period, September to November, and a new Register is published on the 1 December.

So if you need to register to vote during this period just return the updated form to us as soon as you receive it.  If you have not received a form by 15th October please contact us.

Even if you are already registered as a voter at your property you will still need to respond to the voter registration form in order to ensure that your registration continues for a further year.  Don't assume that because you were registered last year that your name will be automatically included in this year's Register of Electors.

Also, being on the Council Tax Register does not automatically mean that you are on the Register of Electors.  The two registers contain different information.

The law says you must respond to the voter registration form request each year, although whether you choose to use your right to vote or not is your choice. If you do not respond to the annual canvass request or give false information, you may be liable to a fine of £1,000.

Telephone & Internet

To help lower the cost of updating the register we provide a telephone and internet based service for recording your responses.  For more details on whether you are able to use this service please click here.

Once an election has been called

Once an election has been called you will be able to register up until 11 working days before polling day.  You should submit a voter registration form from the download area on the right.  We will acknowledge all forms 5 working days before polling day.  If you do not receive this acknowledgment please contact us immediately otherwise you may lose your right to vote.  If no election has been called the cut-off dates above apply.

PLEASE DO NOT LOSE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE.

The right of everyone who is eligible to vote is a fundamental democratic right. It makes sense to use your vote.