Annual household canvass

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By law, the Electoral Registration Officer must undertake an Annual Canvass of all households in the borough every year. This is to check that the information on the electoral register is as accurate and up to date as possible.

As well as for elections, the Register of Electors is often used to confirm an individual's address, especially if they are applying for credit such as a mortgage, personal loan or even a mobile phone.

Most importantly, if you are not registered, you cannot vote at the time of an election.

We are now contacting households to collect information before the Register of Electors is fully updated and republished at the beginning of December. 

Canvass communications

Please read all canvass communications carefully as instructions will be provided on how to respond.

The canvass communications allow residents to inform Barnet Electoral Services about:

  • new residents at the address that are eligible to vote
  • electors who no longer live in the property
  • people who will become 18 the following year
  • Name changes (any amendments needed to a current resident’s details may require further evidence).

If you receive a request for information, please respond promptly. If we don’t receive a response, we are required by law to send reminder forms and then to employ canvassers to contact non-responding households. These activities cost the Council money.

Emails

If we have an email address for a voter in a household, we will email them in July. If we have an email address for more than one person in the household, we will send an email to each person. Only one person will need to respond.

Annual Canvass emails from us will always be sent from the email addresses:

  • lbbarnet.electoral.services@notifications.service.gov.uk, or
  • ero@barnet.gov.uk

Do not respond to emails from any other source and carefully check the spelling of the email address that you have received if you are unsure.

The email will include:

You can then check, update and confirm the information for your address online.

Post

Letters will then be sent to residential addresses in July and August. Please read the form carefully to see if your household needs to respond.

Personal Canvass

In October and November, Electoral Registration Canvassers will individually contact those households where we need a respond but have not replied. Canvassers will call residents if we hold a phone number but will make a visit to the property if not.

All canvassers making visits will carry official Barnet Photo ID so that you can verify their identity.

Canvassers will assist residents to complete their form and update information for their household.

Registering to vote

Even if you tell us that someone needs to register to vote when you respond, that person must still go online to complete an individual application at https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

They will need to provide their date of birth and National Insurance number. 

If you have recently registered but your name doesn't appear on the household details, please still respond and add your name to the form.

Students

If the house is occupied by students, they can still register to vote. Students can register both at their home address and university address. Students are entitled to vote at local government elections at their home address and in Barnet, however, they are only able to vote once at a national election. Students can therefore choose where to vote, either in Barnet or at their home address for UK Parliamentary Elections.

For further information on registering to vote visit https://www.barnet.gov.uk/elections-and-voting/voting/register-vote

If you require any further advice or assistance, please contact Electoral Services: