Annual Electoral Register Canvass 2025

Every year, we conduct a canvass of the residential households in the South Kesteven area to make sure that the data we hold in the Electoral Register is correct and up to date. Between July and October 2025 we will be contacting households to request updated details of residents eligible to register to vote.

Residents will be contacted either by email or post. 

Look out for your canvass communication arriving by email or post

What is the annual canvass? 

Each year, we are required by law to undertake an annual canvass of all households in the District to ensure the electoral register is up to date.   The purpose of the canvass is to find out if there are any changes to the household so we can remove the details of people who no longer live there and invite new occupants to register individually.

How does the annual canvass work?

The canvass process starts with an initial data matching exercise with Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) records. From there, different correspondence will be sent to households where the data has matched and to those where there was no match (either a no match or partial match).

If you receive an email:

  • If everything matches for your household, and we have your email address, you should receive an email on 16 July (from elections@southkesteven.gov.uk) asking you to check and confirm that the information we have is correct through an automated online service. 

  • The email you will receive will look like this Email example.  The email will be sent to all residents at your property where we hold an email address but only one response is required per household.
  • Along with the link, your email will include your two-part security codes to use to log in and confirm or update the details. 
  • When you click on the website link to respond to the email, the unique codes are pre-filled with the security codes and you will be asked to enter your postcode.  If the post code you enter does not match the record we hold you will not be able to log in - please contact the Electoral Services team for further advice on 01476 406080.
  • If you receive an email with the subject of 'Act now so South Kesteven District Council can check who is eligible to be registered to vote at your address'  please help us to reduce our costs by responding online by 24 July - where a response is not received we are required to send a further communication to the property by post. 

If you receive a letter:

Postal Communication addressed to 'The Occupier':

  • Matched households that do not respond to the email and those where we do not hold any email addresses will be sent a form on 7 August. This form is known as a Canvass Communication A (CCA) form.

  • You will be asked to check the names of people registered at the address.  If all the information  is correct,  no response is required. 

  • If any of the details need to be changed or names need to be added or removed, householders can respond online www.householdresponse.com/southkesteven, and use the security codes printed on the letter to log in and register the changes.    

  • Anyone unable to report any changes using the online method, can call our electoral services team on 01476 406080.  

  • This communication by post will not be sent if a response has already been received to an email communication.

OR

Canvass Form for properties where records did not match :

  • Households which were not matched during the data matching process will receive a Canvass Form (CF)  addressed to  'The Occupier'  by post from 15 July.  The form will list the names of the people who are currently registered at the address.   A reply envelope will be enclosed. 

  • You MUST respond to this form even if there are no changes to report.

  • Responses to this form can be made by any of the following methods:

    • Online at www.householdresponse.com/southkesteven.  You will need the security numbers which are printed on the front page of the form. You can make changes to the details for your household using this service; or

    • Complete the paper form and return it using the pre-paid envelope; or

    • If nothing has changed and the details printed on the form are correct, you can also phone 0800 884 0701  to confirm there are no changes.  You will need the security numbers printed on the front page of the form to confirm by phone. You can only use this option if there are no changes to report to the details printed on the form.

If we do not receive a response to this form, a reminder letter will be sent in mid-August.  If we receive no response to the reminder, we are required to contact you either by telephone or make a visit to your property to confirm the details. 

What happens next?

If you tell us there are new people eligible to be registered, they will each need to register individually.  They can go online to register at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. If they do not apply online we will send an "invitation to register" to each person you have added (these will be sent either by email or post).  Each person is required to provide their National Insurance number and date of birth when they apply to be registered.

If you tell us someone has moved away, we may need to send a further letter to each individual so that we have confirmation that they have moved away.  This is because we are required to have two pieces of evidence to remove someone from the electoral register.

If you tell us that someone has changed their name, we will send them a further letter to request a copy of their marriage or deed poll certificate to enable their name to be changed on the register.

Do I need to re-register each year?

Once you're registered you don't need to register again unless you change your address or name.  However you will receive a Canvass Communication every year, even if you are already registered.  This means we can ensure the register is kept up to date. 

Will my details be shared with other organisations?

Using information received from the public, registration officers keep two registers - the Electoral Register and the open register (also known as the edited register). 

Find out more about opting in/out of the open register 

View the Electoral Services Privacy Notice

If you have a query regarding the canvass communication you have received or about registering to vote, please contact the electoral services team:

Contact details

Email: elections@southkesteven.gov.uk

Telephone: 01476 406080 - ask for elections

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