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  10. What will happen this year?

What will happen this year?

What is the canvass?

Each year the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) has a legal requirement to conduct an annual canvass to ensure the electoral register is accurate and complete. The annual canvass was reformed in 2020 by the Cabinet Office. They have set new instructions for the ERO to follow and these instructions are set in law.

How does the canvass work?

Step 1: Data Matching

  • The electoral register is securely data matched against Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) records. 
  • The results of this data matching exercise determines whether the electors living in each property are likely to have changed or not.
  • If the records show that the details for a property are unlikely to have changed, the property will follow the Route 1 canvass process.
  • If there are people at a property that cannot be matched or the data matching process indicates that there may be a change to the information for a property, the property will follow the Route 2 canvass process.
  • Care homes and nursing homes and all other properties that have a responsible person such as a duty manager, will follow the Route 3 canvass process. This will involve contact being made with the manager or other responsible person of the establishment.

Step 2: Routes of Communication

Canvass E-Communications (Route 1 only)

This year, we are contacting electors, where we hold an email address. We ask that you respond to the instructions provided by 9 July 2025, in order to reduce the amount of paper and postage.

A small number of electors may be under the age of 18 and we would encourage those who fall within this category to pass the communication to a responsible adult within the household to complete.

RESPONSE required

Canvass Communication A (CCA)

These forms will be hand-delivered from 11 August 2025.

NO response required        

  • If all information is correct and includes everyone eligible to register to vote.

RESPONSE required             

  • If any information is incorrect, or if there are people eligible to register to vote at this address that are not included.
  • Go online to www.householdresponse.com/south-holland to confirm any changes. You will need the two security numbers printed on the letter to complete the online form

Canvass Form (CF)

These forms will be hand delivered from 11 August 2025. You are legally required to respond to this form. The easiest way is online. It takes just a few minutes. 

RESPONSE Required.

All information is correct and includes everyone eligible to register to vote:

  • Go online to www.householdresponse.com/south-holland to confirm the information is correct. You will need the two security numbers printed on the letter to complete the online form.
  • Phone 0800 884 0701 to confirm that there are no changes. You will need the two security numbers printed on the letter to confirm by phone.
  • Text NOCHANGE with your security code to 80212 (if nobody is eligible to vote include a reason after your security code e.g. empty, business, 2nd home, other).

Any information that is incorrect do the following:

Canvass Communication B (CCB)

If we do not receive a response to your canvass form by 1 September 2025, we will postr a CCB form to your property from 15 September. You are legally required to respond to this form. The easiest way is online. It takes just a few minutes. 

RESPONSE Required.

If all information is correct and includes everyone eligible to register to vote:

  • Go online to www.householdresponse.com/south-holland to confirm the information is correct. You will need the two security numbers printed on the letter to complete the online form.
  • Phone 0800 884 0701 to confirm that there are no changes. You will need the two security numbers printed on the letter to confirm by phone.
  • Text NOCHANGE with your security code to 80212 (if nobody is eligible to vote include a reason after your security code e.g. empty, business, 2nd home, other).

For any information that is incorrect, do the following:

If a response is not received from this CCB form by 6 October 2025, another CCB form will be posted to your property from 15 October 2025.

What happens next?

If you tell us there are new people eligible to be registered, they will each need to register individually.  They can go online to register at  www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. If they do not apply online we will send an "invitation to register" to each person you have added.  Each person is required to provide their National Insurance number and date of birth when they apply to be registered.

If you tell us someone has moved away, we may need to send a further letter to each individual so that we have confirmation that they have moved away.  This is because we are required to have two pieces of evidence to remove someone from the electoral register.

If you tell us that someone has changed their name, we will send them a further letter to request a copy of their marriage or deed poll certificate to enable their name to be changed on the register.