Your Guide to the 2024 Annual Canvass

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We are required by law to contact every property in Tameside to check that the details we hold on the Elections Register are up to date.

Depending on if we believe there have been changes to a household, properties will receive different kinds of communication from us with different response requirements. It is important that you check the letter or email you receive from us to be able to respond correctly.

We strongly encourage electors to respond as soon as they receive a communication from us if a response is required. Please respond online wherever possible using the Household Response website.

If a response is required and we do not receive a response from you, we will follow up by email, letter, telephone call, or a visit to your property. If you do not provide the requested information, you could be fined.

For more information on the Annual Canvass, please visit The Electoral Commission Website.

Responding to Canvass

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Canvass communications will start going out on 19 August 2024.

When you receive a message from us asking you to check your details, please follow the instructions and complete your response so we can ensure our records are up to date and so you will be ready to vote in upcoming elections.

Multiple members of your household may receive an email from us if we have more than one email address for your property in our records. Please note only one member of each household needs to respond to end the Canvass process for your property.

Please add the names and details of residents who need to be added to the Elections Register to the form where prompted. The name and nationality of everyone over 16 who lives at the address and is eligible to vote must be recorded.

Anyone listed on the form who is not currently living in the property should have their names clearly crossed through for removal on the paper form or indicated on the online form when asked.

If there are currently no residents eligible to vote at the property, you should state why this is the case.

New residents who have been added to the forms must make a separate application to register to vote outside of the Canvass process. The easiest way to complete their application is on the Gov.uk website.

New electors who have not registered online will be sent an Invitation to Register letter which requires a response.

Do I Need to Respond?

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When you receive a letter or email from us, please read it carefully to check if you are required to respond. Canvass letters always advise if a response is required, even if the information on the form is correct.

You need to respond to Canvass if:

You have received an email from us
The letter you have received tells you that you must respond
If you need to make changes/update the information for your property contained in the communication. (This includes changes to names, adding and removing residents, and correcting errors).

Details on the ways you can respond are included in the letter/email you receive from us.

The easiest way to respond is by visiting the Household Response website and using the security codes provided in our letter/email to log in and confirm your household’s details.

Only one member of a household needs to respond to Canvass on behalf of the whole household. Once a response has been submitted, another household member will not be able to resubmit a response.

You can also respond to Canvass by:

Completing the form and posting it back to us
Calling the response line on 0800 8840701
Emailing us at elections@tameside.gov.uk
To confirm that there have been no changes, you can text NOCHANGE followed by your security code to 80212. Please note: if you enter your security code incorrectly, we will not be notified that you have responded.

Canvass FAQs

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I have received a Canvass Email. Is it genuine?

Tameside Council’s initial Annual Canvass emails are to be sent out to electors on 19 August 2024 and will direct you to the Household Response website. Genuine communications will come from the email address: elections@tameside.gov.uk and will contain the relevant links to the dedicated Household Response website. You will be prompted to confirm valid electors within the property & their voting preferences only.

What will happen if I don’t respond?

If the email or letter requires a response, please respond as soon as possible. Responding early will avoid further communications like letters, calls, or a door-knock visit. If you do not provide the requested information, you could be fined.

I have recently registered with Council Tax. Does this automatically add me to the Electoral Register?

Registering for Council Tax will not automatically register you on the Electoral Register. A separate application must be made to register to vote.

The quickest and easiest way to register to vote is on the Gov.uk website. It takes just five minutes.

I am an EU citizen and have completed the EU Voter Confirmation Review, do I need to respond to Annual Canvass?

Canvass and the EUVCR are different processes, and both must be responded to if the resident is asked to do so. Responding only to Canvass and not the EUVCR will result in the EU citizen being removed from the register as they have not confirmed their eligibility to remain registered to vote.

How are you keeping my data safe?

The information you give us will only be used for electoral purposes and is stored securely according to data protection legislation. Personal information provided to us will not be shared with another organisation unless required or specified in law. For more information, please refer to our Privacy Notice.

Didn’t find what you were looking for?

Contact our Elections Team on 0161 342 8355 or elections@tameside.gov.uk