Voting
Introduction
In a democratic country decisions that affect all our lives are made every day by local councillors and Members of Parliament, both in the United Kingdom and in Europe. The role of the Council's Electoral Services Team is to ensure that every eligible Westminster resident can, if they wish, exercise their right to vote.
Can anyone register to vote in the City of Westminster?
No. You must be a British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of another European Union state and be resident in Westminster. Please see the ‘Voter Registration: Frequently asked questions’ section on this web site which provides a list of countries.All applicants, whether through the annual process or rolling registration, are required to state their nationality. Failure to do so may result in delay before your name can be added to the register. You must be over 18 years old to vote. However you can appear on the Register if you are 16 or 17. Your name will be shown with the date of your 18th birthday, you will then be able to vote in any election that happens on or after your birthday.
Annual Canvass
Important News
There are no monthly updates published in October, November or December as rolling individual registration is suspended due to the annual canvass. The final monthly update of 2008 is published on 1st September and is based on individual voter registration forms returned by Friday 8th August. An individual voter registration form does not appear on these web pages during the canvass period.
The annual canvass will begin in early August in Westminster and every household will receive their annual household electoral registration form. A new Register of Electors will be published on 1st December 2008, based on the information included on those electoral registration forms that have been returned during the canvass period.
Don’t lose your right to vote
We are preparing a new Register of Electors, which will form the basis for voting at the European Parliamentary Elections to be held on 4th June 2009
Every year, by law, the registration officer prepares a new and accurate Register of Electors. The only way we can get the correct, up to date, information is by sending out a form to every household that any eligible residents can use to register. We do not use other council department’s records. So, for example, you may be registered for Council Tax but this does not automatically put you on the Register of Electors.
Refusing or giving false information may lead to a maximum fine of £1,000. Please return the form immediately to avoid being visited by our canvassers, but do NOT return the form if you are registering by phone or by internet.
If you are eligible to vote, you should make sure that your name is included on the Electoral Register. Please click on the links above which explain who should register and answer some of the questions you may have. Please click here to download the step by step guide to completing your voter registration form.
No changes to be made?
You can re-register either by phone, Internet or text message.
(a) by Phone
In some cases there will be no changes to the information on the form, other than excluding any names from the edited register or re-instating any names to the edited register. If this is the case then instead of signing it, folding it and taking it to a post box, you can telephone (using a touch-tone phone) the FREEPHONE number given on your form.
This number is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the duration of the canvass. If you make an error don’t worry – you will be asked to confirm what you enter by pressing the star key (*), or to press zero (0) to go back and change it. The re-registration by telephone facility will be available until 31st December 2008.
Instructions
- Dial 0800 197 4413. You will be reminded that the service should only be used if the details (apart from whether anyone wishes to be excluded from the edited register or re-instated onto the edited register) are correct.
- You will be asked to key in the two-part Security Code – this number is printed at the top of the form of your form. If you enter the number incorrectly you will be asked to re-enter it. If an invalid number is entered several times the call will be ended.
- Please follow the telephone instructions.
- You will be asked to enter your date of birth as a security measure. If you enter an invalid date you will be asked to re-enter it. If an invalid date is entered several times the call will be ended.
- You will be asked to confirm your date of birth by pressing the star key (*) or to press zero (0) to go back and change it. You will hear a final thank you message; you should then replace the handset.
To re-register in Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Kurdish, Portuguese, Somali, Spanish or Turkish (ring 0800 107 4413).
(b) by Internet
If there are no changes to be made to the information on the form, you can re-register online by visiting www.registerbyinternet.com/westminster.
You must enter the two parts of your security code, for extra security please enter your postcode, as printed on your form, and then the name of the person giving this information.
(c) by Text message
If there are no changes to the information on the form you can re-register by sending a text message to 80212
Instructions
- Key in the numbers 4413 and leave a space.
- Now key in your Security Code Part One numbers, leave a space and then key in your Security Code Part Two numbers. Your text should look something like this 4413 123456 1234.
- Now send the message to 80212.
(Texts are charged at your provider’s standard rate)
An acknowledgement message will be sent to your mobile if your Text message registration is successful.
What happens if my name is left off?
If your name doesn't appear on the register when it is published in December you can fill in a form to go onto the register, this is part of the rolling registration process, which takes effect from 1st December. You should contact Electoral Services (020 7 641 2730) and ask to be sent a voter registration form in order to be added to the register
Special Categories of Electors
There are special arrangements for registering as an elector if you are in the armed forces, a Crown servant/British Council employee, living overseas or if you are homeless or in prison on remand. Please contact the Electoral Services Team for further information and advice.
Once I'm registered how do I vote?
Once an election is called every eligible elector on the register is sent a poll card. This tells you the date of the election, the address of the polling station and the times between which you can go along to cast your vote.
Your poll card is just for information. You do not need your poll card to vote.
Anonymous registration
From 1st June 2007 a new system of anonymous registration is being made available to people where, if their name and address was listed on the electoral register, their safety would be at risk. It is also available for others in the same household as those at risk.
Applicants, who must meet normal registration requirements, are required to prove their safety would be at risk. For an application to be successful the reason anonymous registration is required must be given and supported by a court order or attestation by specific qualified individuals, such as a Chief Police Officer or Director of Social Services.
For more information or an application form please contact the Electoral Services Team on 020 7641 2730.
