Derby residents are being urged to check their electoral registration details as the annual canvass returns.

The annual canvass allows Derby City Council to keep the electoral register up to date, to identify who risks losing their voice at elections, and to encourage them to register before it’s too late.

If a resident’s details aren’t correct, they risk losing their chance to vote on the decisions that affect them, either in local or national elections.

The details kept on the electoral register include your address, so if you’ve recently moved home it’s particularly important for you to update your details during the canvass.

Electoral Commission research has found that recent home movers are less likely to be registered than those who have lived at the same address for a long time. In Great Britain, 92% of those who have lived in their home for 16 years will be registered, compared with 36% of people who have lived at an address for less than a year.

Residents who have previously given their email address may receive a message from derby.city.elections@notifactions.service.gov.uk asking them to confirm or update their records. Some residents may receive communications by post, and the letter will confirm what action they need to take.

Emily Feenan, Electoral Registration Officer at Derby City Council:

Keep an eye out for important updates from Derby City Council. The annual canvass is our way of making sure that the information on the electoral register for every address is accurate and up to date. It’s a very simple process and will be clearly set out in the communications we send 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.

Melanie Davidson, Head of Support and Improvement at the Electoral Commission, said:

It’s really important that everyone who is eligible to vote is able to do so. We urge people to check for updates from their local council on this year’s canvass. The council may contact residents by post or email.

If you are not registered to vote, make sure you provide the necessary information to your local council when asked and register to vote online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

Information on registering to vote is available on the Electoral Commission website.

Residents with questions about their registration status can contact their local council’s electoral services team.