Register to Vote

Rolling registration was introduced in February 2001 to make it possible for people to register to vote at any time instead of only once a year. So now when you move home, changing address no longer means leaving your vote behind. 

There are 2 ways to register, either by Rolling Registration which is possible between January and July in 2012 (normally this would be January to September but this year the dates have changed) or by returning a form during the annual canvass. The canvass will, for 2012 only, take place from July until October (normally it would take place from mid-August to the end of November) and while it takes place rolling registration is suspended.

If you think you are not registered or if you have moved home since October last year, you can either check direct with Electoral Services that you are registered or you can download, print off and complete a rolling registration form (see below) and send it to Electoral Services at the Town Hall.

Rolling registration application form (pdf - 32.23kb)

Between January and July the register is updated each month with a deadline for receipt of applications 15 days before the end of each month (see below). A notice showing the proposed monthly updates to the register is available for inspection, on request, at the Town Hall.

Any objections to any alterations to be made to the register must be made to the Electoral Registration Officer, in writing, within five working days of the closing deadline. Once the objection period has passed the monthly changes to the register are sent out to everyone that holds the register. This includes the main credit agencies.  

During the canvass period, although the register continues to be updated, no information will be sent out to anyone who holds the register until after the new register is published. The new register will be published on 16 October 2012 instead of 1 December for this year only. In 2013 it will go back to being published on 1 December each year.

At election time there is an exception to the normal deadline rule when any eligible elector may make an application to be added to the register up to 11 working days before the election.

The timetable for Rolling Registration applications for 2012 is as follows:

Who can register to vote?

• Anyone aged 16 or over (but you cannot vote until your 18th birthday)
• British or Commonwealth citizens - updated 10/3/2010 (view list of Countries pdf - 15.04kb)
• Citizens of the Irish Republic
• Citizens of other European Union (EU) countries (view list of Countries - pdf - 15.04kb)
• Students - If you are a student living away from home you can register to vote at your home address and at where you live at University or college but you only vote once at any single election
• Homeless people who were unable to register because they had no fixed address are now able to make a declaration of local connection - giving an address of, or nearest to, a place where they spend a substantial amount of their time, for example a local day centre
• Patients in mental hospitals (other than those who are held there because of criminal behaviour) are able to register to vote without the need to pass the additional test of making a patient's declaration
• Unconvicted or remand prisoners are able to register in the establishment where they are held if they are likely to be spending a long period remanded in custody. Convicted prisoners are still unable to vote.

Further Information

Telephone: 01372 732152
email: electoralservices@epsom-ewell.gov.uk

Related Pages

Can you vote?
Postal and Proxy Voting
Standing for Elections
Where to vote
Overseas Electors
Electoral Boundaries
Borough Council Elections
County Council Elections
Parliamentary Elections
European Parliamentary Elections