Over the next few weeks, canvassers will approach around 4,000 households that have yet to respond to an annual canvass form.
Canvassers will wear ID badges to identify themselves and will have a copy of the form that each household needs to complete.
Wokingham Borough Council has been contacting households since the beginning of September, with further correspondence sent out at the start of October.
The council has estimated that no changes are needed for around 80 per cent of the borough’s 70,000-plus properties. These households were contacted by email or letter to confirm their details and were also given instructions on what to do if changes are required.
The remaining households – where it was believed there had been changes to the household composition – were sent a canvass form with information on how to respond.
Canvassers will be visiting properties where there has been no response to raise awareness of this.
The canvass is an important process as it allows the council to keep the electoral register up to date, identify who is at risk of losing their voice at elections and encourage people to register to vote.
The council is required by law to carry out the canvass each year. Every household must ensure their details are correct by Wednesday 30 November, in preparation for the publication of the revised electoral register on Thursday 1 December.
Canvassers will provide a canvass form with a prepaid reply envelope and advise residents how they can respond online, by post or by phone. If there is no reply, the form will be posted through the letter box.
Andrew Moulton, Electoral Registration Officer at Wokingham Borough Council, said:
“Although the majority of households have responded, it is important for us to have the right information for every address in the borough. That is why we are sending out canvassers. If you haven’t responded to the canvass form, please do so as soon as possible.
“If you respond to the reminder, you should not receive a visit from a canvasser. If you are out when they visit, they will leave a form for you to complete.”
During the canvass period, you can respond on the Household Response website, but you will need to use the security codes provided on the form to do so.
Anyone not registered to vote can do so online. People who are added to canvass forms will be sent letters inviting them to register.
Wokingham Borough covers a huge area including Arborfield, Barkham, Bracknell, Charvil, Crowthorne, Earley, Finchampstead, Hurst Sonning, Reading, Remenham, Ruscombe, Shinfield, Twyford, Wargrave, Winnersh, Spencers Wood, Wokingham Town and Woodley
