Annual canvass - check your details

Annual canvass communication

From 16 August 2023, we will be sending out approximately 60,000 communication forms to residents in the borough to confirm the details we hold on the electoral register are correct. If you have not already confirmed your details you will receive one of the following forms:

• Canvass Communication Form A - you will only need a reply to this form if there are any changes, or;
• Canvass Communication Form B -  you must reply to this form even if your household details are correct.

To confirm or update any incorrect details, please log on to our household response online service (www.householdresponse.com/sthelens) and follow the instructions.

Please make sure you provide names of any other electors' names that should be registered, including 16/17-year-olds. Please respond to the form by 5 September 2023. If you do not respond to us by this deadline, we may also call you, send reminders by post or a door knock visit to collect the information required.

Annual canvass changes

Electors will be used to receiving a household letter each year around late July. This letter helps us to identify new electors in the property or whether anyone has moved out. This helps to keep the Electoral Register accurate and up to date. 

From 1 June 2020, Canvass Reform changed the way Electoral Registration Officers carry out their canvass. Each year we will now upload your information to the Department of Work and Pensions to check you still live at the same address. 

If your information matches the Department of Work and Pensions data, we will then send a confirmation letter (CCA) to your house to confirm all the elector details we hold. If all the information on the letter is correct you will not need to respond to this letter. You will only need to respond to inform us of any changes to this form.

If we hold your email address, we will send all information to you by email. You can then use our online service to reply to this email. All emails must be responded to; if you don't respond to our email then we will then send out a letter in the post.

If we cannot match your details with the Department of Work and Pensions, we will send you a communication letter (CCB) or a canvass form. If you receive either of these letters, you must reply to this letter even if there are no changes to the form. We can also send this information to you by email if we hold your email address. You will need to respond to this email using our online service.

Each letter will detail if you need to respond or not; if there are any changes to electors' details on any of the letters you receive, you must inform us of these changes to keep the electoral register up to date.

If you would like more information on the annual canvass, please visit the Electoral Commission website.

You can register to vote any time of the year. If you register between August and November you will only be added to the Electoral Register from 1 December. For updates throughout the rest of the year, please go to our register to vote page.

The canvass form asks anyone living in the property to put their names on the form or online. We will then send you an invitation to register or you can register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

You must supply the information asked for. If you do not give your information or you give false information, you may be fined up to £1000.