People in Westmorland and Furness are being reminded to take part in this year’s annual canvass of electors and respond if needed, so that they can vote in future elections.

With police and crime commissioner elections taking place in Westmorland and Furness in May and parliamentary elections on the horizon, this is an important opportunity for residents to make sure they can take part.

The annual canvass ensures that Westmorland and Furness Council can keep the electoral register up to date, identifying any residents who are not registered to vote so that they can be encouraged to do so.

Sam Plum, Chief Executive and Electoral Registration Officer at Westmorland and Furness Council said, “It’s important that residents look out for messages from the Council so we can make sure we have the right details on the electoral register for every address in the area. We will send you either a paper form in the post, an email or text message for you to respond to.

“To make sure you are able to have your say at the local elections taking place in May, simply follow the instructions directly sent to you.

“If you’re not currently registered, your name will not appear in the messages we send. If you want to register, the easiest way is online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote, or we’ll send you information explaining how to do this in the post.”

People who have moved recently are particularly encouraged to look out for the voter registration messages from Westmorland and Furness Council and check the details. Research by the Electoral Commission indicates that recent home movers are far less likely to be registered than those who have lived at the same address for a long time.

You can read more about the annual canvass by visiting: https://www.westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk/canvass-of-electors. Residents who have any questions can contact the Council’s Electoral Services Team by calling 0300 373 3300 or by email at elections3@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk.