Elections: Electoral Register
Ryedale District Council is responsible for compiling and
publishing the annual Register of Electors and processes
applications for inclusion in the Register. If you are not on
the Electoral Register you will not be eligible to vote in any
Parliamentary, European, County, District or Parish election.
You are, by law*, required to complete a
Canvass Form so that your details can be kept up to date on the
Electoral Register. Any person failing to comply with the
request for Registration information or giving false information is
liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £1,000.
*(Regulation 23 of the Representation of the People
Regulations 2001).
On this page:
The
Annual Canvass.
Who can
Vote?.
How to Register to Vote.
Not Registered in time for an
Election.
The Electoral Register.
When are Elections
held?.
Nominating Candidates and
Voting.
Please
Remember.
Contact Electoral Services.
The Annual Canvass
Every year during late August, early September, householders in
Ryedale are sent a Canvass Form which should be completed and
returned to Democratic Services, in order that their details
may be included on the next published Register of
Electors.
How is the Canvass Undertaken?
Householders are offered two options for making
sure their details are correctly transferred to the 2010
Register of Electors, depending on whether all the pre-printed
details on the Registration Form remain correct or whether any
changes are required.
Changes Required
Electors must return their Registration Form by
post if any changes are required - for example, if
they need to:
- add new names to those already printed
on the form;
- delete previous names already
printed on the form;
- amend any names already printed on the
form, eg if you have married and your surname has
changed.
No Changes Necessary
If all of the details on the form are correct and no
changes are required, electors can use the unique security
codes printed on the front of the form to register either via
the internet, telephone, or text message.
- Internet: Register Online.
- Telephone: 08000 251 071
and enter Parts 1 and 2 of your unique security code when prompted.
*
- Text Message: Text the two parts of your security code, with a
space inbetween, to 07797 898 771.
These options are only open during
the Canvass period of September to November each
year.
* Please note that standard network charges apply from
mobile telephones.
Need to Register after the Publication
of the Register?
Once the new Register has been published, householders
must provide individual signatures to
have their details amended whilst the 2010 Register is in
force. This is known as ‘Rolling
Registration’. Registration Forms are available
from Customer Services at Ryedale House, telephone:
01653 600666 or via About my Vote.
What if your name has not been
included on the Register or needs amending?
The 2010 Register of Electors
will be published at the beginning of December 2009 and
reflects where householders were living as at the qualification
date of 15th October 2009. Householders
should check that their name has been included on the new Register
of Electors. If it is not included, needs amending, or
if you have moved since 15th October, please contact Customer
Services as soon as possible, so that you can be sent a form
for completion and return.
How do I get someone's name removed from the
Register?
As the new property occupier, you may find
that when you receive your Canvass Form, the previous occupier's
name is still included on it. The new occupier should use
that form to let us know of the changes required whilst the Canvass
period is in operation. After the Canvass,
during the ‘rolling registration’ period, you can ask us to
remove the former occupant's details. Under new legislation,
providing we have evidence to show that the previous occupier(s) no
longer reside there, the Council can take steps to remove
those details. This involves writing to the former occupier
giving them 14 days' notice of our intention to remove their
name. Once the fourteen-day period has expired, the Electoral
Registration Officer has the power to remove their name from the
register, and this is then carried out in accordance with the
timetable for adding/removing names under ‘Rolling
Registration’.
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Who can Vote at an Election?
Only persons whose name has been added to the
Register of Electors in time for that election and qualifies
on grounds of age, nationality and so on. To vote
at Parliamentary or local elections (District, Parish and County
elections), a person must also:
- Be eighteen years or older on polling day.
- Be a British, Commonwealth, Irish or European Union
citizen.
- Not be subject to any legal incapacity to vote, such as being
in prison.
European Union citizens (other than British or Irish Citizens)
are only entitled to vote at local elections and European
Parliamentary elections. There is no entitlement to vote at
UK Parliamentary elections. Overseas electors (eligible
British citizens living abroad) may register and vote at
Parliamentary and European Parliamentary elections only for a
period of up to 15 years after they have left the country.
There is no entitlement to vote at local elections.
If you are in any doubt as to whether or not you are
registered, please telephone Democratic Services on
01653
600666 for information or e-mail:
elections@ryedale.gov.uk.
How to Register to
Vote
Every British, Commonwealth or Republic of Ireland citizen
living in Great Britain is eligible to vote in this country's
elections. All other European Union citizens are eligible to
vote in European Parliamentary elections and local elections held
here.
You can only vote if your name is on the Register of Electors (also
referred to as the Voter's List). The Register is updated every
autumn but names can be added, deleted and amended throughout the
year. If your details are incorrect or have
changed please write to advise us of this so we can
update our records. If you move within the District of
Ryedale, or move to Ryedale from another area, a new
Voter Registration Form should be completed. If applicable,
we will inform the Electoral Registration Officer at your
previous address so your name can be deleted from
their Register.
You can download and complete the Voter Registration
Form or contact Customer Services at Ryedale House and a
form will be sent to you. Only one person can apply per form
and you must sign your own form, someone else cannot do it for
you. It should also be noted that being on the Council Tax
list does not mean you are registered to
vote. The Voter's list will be updated as follows:
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If we receive your form
before
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Your details will be changed
on
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Friday, 11 December 2009
|
Monday, 04 January 2010
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Friday, 08 January 2010
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Monday, 01 February 2010
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Friday, 05 February 2010
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Monday, 01 March 2010
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Wednesday, 10 March
2010
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Thursday, 01 April 2010
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Monday, 12 April 2010
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Tuesday, 04 May 2010
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Monday, 10 May 2010
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Tuesday, 01 June 2010
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Wednesday, 09 June 2010
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Thursday, 01 July 2010
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Friday, 09 July 2010
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Monday, 02 August 2010
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Tuesday, 10 August 2010
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Wednesday, 01 September
2010
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There are no amendments made to the
Register during September, October or November as this is the
Annual Canvass period when all households have to register. A
Revised Register will be published on 01 December each
year.
People who live between two homes
(including students) are allowed to register at both. If you
do not want your name to be removed from your other address, please
explain why on your form.
Special provisions have been made for other
categories of electors, details of which are set out below.
Service Personnel
Servicemen and women have the option
of either registering as "Service Voters", or as ordinary
civilian voters. Application forms are available
from Democratic Services at Ryedale District Council.
Alternatively, further information and an application form can be
obtained from About my Vote.
In January 2007, service
voters' registration applications became valid for
three-years instead of having to
be renewed annually. Service voters should therefore ensure
that any address changes for postal ballot
papers are kept up to date within that
period.
Overseas Electors
British Citizens living overseas may preserve
their right to vote in UK Parliamentary and European Parliamentary
Elections for a 15-year period from their last registered entry in
the UK. For those qualifying electors who had their last UK
registration address in Ryedale, you may obtain a Registration
Application Form from Democratic Services at Ryedale
House in Malton.
Crown Servants/British Council Employees
and their Spouses living Overseas
If you are working outside the UK as a Crown
Servant or as an employee of the British Council, you can still
register to vote. You can also register if you are married to
a Crown Servant or British Council employee and you are
accompanying them during their employment abroad. Qualifying
electors may obtain Application Forms from their place of
work, or from Ryedale District Council's Democratic Services,
telephone 01653 600666 or e-mail: elections@ryedale.gov.uk.
Persons with No Fixed Address
You can still register to vote even if you do
not have a fixed address. This may be because you are:
- a patient in a mental health hospital;
- a homeless person; or
- a person remanded in custody.
To register, you need to fill in a form called
a 'Declaration of Local Connection'. You can get this form by
contacting Democratic Services at Ryedale House, telephone
01653 600666 or e-mail: elections@ryedale.gov.uk.
On this form you need to give an address where you would be living
if it were not for your current situation, or an address where you
have lived in the past. If you are homeless, you can give
details of where you spend a substantial part of your time.
Anonymous Registration
If your personal safety would be at risk from
your name appearing on the Voters List, you may be able to register
anonymously. Whilst new rules were introduced in
2007 which will allow some people to register in this way,
they are exceptionally strict and set out in law.
To qualify, you will need either:
- a current court order or injunction which is
for the protection of or benefit to either you or someone in your
household; or
- a qualified person needs to support your
application.
That qualified person must be:
- The Chief Officer of Police of any police
force in England and Wales;
- The Chief Constable of any police force in
Scotland or the Police Service of Northern Ireland;
- The Director General of the Security Services
or the Serious Organised Crime Agency; or
- A Director of Adult Social Services or
Children's Services in England, a Director of Social Services in
Wales or a Chief Social Work Officer in Scotland.
The qualifying officer does
not have to be based in the same area as the
applicant, but the attestation cannot be delegated
to a more junior person within the organisation.
Renewal of Applications
With the exception of Service Voters
applications, which remain valid for three years, the
other "special elector" categories require annual renewals to
be completed, in order to remain registered. These are sent
to your last notified address up to three months
before your current registration expires, to allow you time to
complete and return your Form to us. If we do not hear back
from you we remove your name at the end of that period and write to
you to explain why.
For Anonymous Registration, you should keep
copies of court orders or a copy of attestations for subsequent
applications, as these have to be submitted annually along with
your renewal application.
Not Registered in time for an Election?
You have up until eleven working
days before an election to submit an application to
register. However, if you have missed this registration
deadline, you may still have the opportunity to vote from your
former address, provided that your name still appears there on the
relevant Electoral Register. If it does still appear, you
could:
- visit your former Polling Station and quote
your old address to obtain a ballot paper; or
- providing you are not an existing postal
voter, you may appoint someone else to be your proxy, who could
either attend your former polling station to vote on your
behalf. This can be arranged up to six working
days before polling day.
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The Electoral Register
Before completing your Voter
Registration Form it is important to read the notes on the back
carefully, especially the notes that refer to the
'Edited' and 'Full' Register of
Electors.
You have some choice about who can buy details of your name
and address. There are two versions of the Register: the
Edited version and the Full
version. When you fill in your Voter Registration Form, you
will be able to choose whether you want your details included in
the Edited Register.
Full Register
The Full Register lists everyone who is entitled to vote
including those who have chosen not to appear on
the Edited Register and is not for sale for commercial
purposes. You do not have a choice about your details being
on this Register. The main use of the Full Register is
to show who can vote in elections and referendums. Only
certain people and organisations can have, or purchase, copies of
the Full Register, and the Register can only be used for
electoral purposes, the prevention and detection of crime and
checking your identity when you have applied for credit. It
is a criminal offence for any
organisation to pass this information on to anyone else or to
use it for any other purpose.
Edited Register
You can choose not to be on the Edited
Register, which is available for general sale and can be used for
any purpose, by ticking the relevant box on the Voter Registration
Form. . The Edited Register can be bought by any person,
company or organisation and can be used for commercial activities
such as marketing.
Monthly Amendments
Amendments to the Register are made on a monthly basis
between December and August and an application form can be obtained
from Democratic Services, e-mail: elections@ryedale.gov.uk or
telephone Customer Services on 01653 600 666.
Only people who live in Ryedale should complete this
form. If you live in another area click on About my
Vote to find your Council's
website.
Inspecting the Register
To inspect the Full Register
twenty-four hours notice needs to be given and the Register can
only be viewed under supervision.
Contact Democratic Services on 01653 600666 or e-mail:
elections@ryedale.gov.uk.
The Edited Register and the Edited Monthly Updates to the Register
are available for inspection at Ryedale House, Malton during office
hours:
| Monday to Thursday: |
08:30 to 17:00 |
| Friday: |
08:30 to 16:30 |
Copies of Register
Councillors, including district, parish and county council,
are entitled to a copy of the electoral register for their ward,
division or parish. Those who wish to receive a copy of the 2010
Register of Electors should complete the appropriate
application
form, which can be found below and return to Democratic
Services at Ryedale District Council.
How do I Vote?
You will receive a poll card prior to the election advising
you of your electoral number, the date of the election
and where your polling station is situated. At the
polling station there will be information to tell you how to vote
and how many candidates you can vote for.
When are Elections held?
There are different rules for each type of Election:
UK Parliamentary Elections
The maximum period allowed between UK Parliamentary elections
is five years. There is no statutory minimum period. By
constitutional law, the timing of a general election is an issue of
royal prerogative. Formally, it is the Queen who is
responsible for dissolving Parliament by Royal Proclamation.
In practice, the Prime Minister will advise the Queen and give her
control over the timing of the election. The last UK
Parliamentary election was held on 5 May 2005.
European Parliamentary Elections
European Parliamentary Elections are every five
years. The last European Parliamentary Election was held on
Thursday, 4 June 2009 in conjunction with North Yorkshire
County Council Election.
Local Government Elections
In Ryedale elections for the District, Parishes and the County
Council are held every four years.
Ryedale District Council Elections
The District is divided into 20 wards for the purposes of
District elections, with each ward returning between one and three
councillors. The total number of councillors representing the
District is 30. District Councils can choose between "all out
elections" every four years or can opt for annual elections, with
one third of councillors retiring each year for three years.
In Ryedale, all out elections are held every four years. The
last District Council Election was on 3 May 2007. Local
Government Elections are normally held on the first Thursday in
May.
The District of Ryedale is divided into 121 parishes of which
91 parishes are large enough to have their own parish
councillors. The remaining parishes hold regular parish
meetings. Every parish must have an annual parish meeting,
which all local government electors for the parish are entitled to
attend. Elections for parish/town council elections are held
at the same time as district elections and parish/town councillors
are elected for a term of four years.
County Council Elections
Ryedale District is divided into six County Divisions, each
returning one elected councillor to North Yorkshire County
Council. The six divisions are Hovingham and Sheriff Hutton;
Kirkbymoorside; Malton; Norton; Pickering; Thornton Dale and the
Wolds. County Council elections are held every four years and
are normally held on the first Thursday in May. In 2009
the County Council Election was held on Thursday 4
June in conjunction with the European Parliamentary
Election.
Nominating Candidates and Voting
You will only be able to nominate a
candidate at an election, if your name appears on the last
Register of Electors to be published before the Notice of Election
is published. You will only be able to vote at an election if
your application to appear on the Register has been accepted by the
eleventh working day before the poll takes
place. For example, in the May 2007
Elections, you could have nominated a
candidate if your name appeared on the Register published
on 1 March 2007 and you could also
have voted if your name was included on the
Register by 18 April 2007.
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Please Remember
- If you are a British, Irish, Commonwealth or European Union
Citizen, you need to be on the Electoral Register to be able to
vote and you must register every year. You are not
automatically registered, even if you pay Council Tax.
- If you want to restrict who has access to your name and address
on the Electoral Register, you must tell the Electoral Registration
Officer that you want to ‘opt out’.
- If you move house, you can register at your new address at any
time of the year - don't just wait for the next Canvass to take
place.
- If you're living away from home (e.g. as a student), you can
register at more than one address, but you can only vote once in
any single election.
- Due to new legislation, registration can take place eleven
working days before polling day.
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Contact Electoral Services
Our address, directions and opening times at Ryedale
House are given via the
Contact Us link at the top of the window.
Please use the main telelphone number (also given below) to contact
us.
Document Links
Useful Links
About my vote.
Electoral Maps.
(Ordnance Survey mapping service)
Registration Forms for Her Majesty's Armed Forces, or their
husband, wife or civil partner. (About My Vote link)
Registration Forms for Crown Servants or British Council Employees
(or spouse). (About My Vote link)
Do Politics.
Register Online.