What is the annual canvass?
Each year, by law, we conduct an annual canvass of the borough in order to update the electoral register. This 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.
The canvass process starts with an initial data matching exercise between national data (held by the Department of Work and Pensions) and some local data. 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).
What happens if the data matches?
These households will be sent a (green) paper form. This form only requires a response if there are changes to be made. Following this, no further communication is sent to the household.
In previous years we have sent individuals registered in these properties an email/SMS before sending out these paper forms. Due to the tight timetable following the recent general election, we have been unable to send these this year.
What happens if there is no match?
The property will be sent a (yellow) paper form which you must respond to, whether there are changes to make or not.
Please make sure that you respond correctly to the communications you receive as soon as you can, even if there are no changes to be made to the pre-printed details. It is a legal requirement and you can be fined up to £1000 for not doing so. This will also help us save money, as if you do not respond we are required to send a reminder form and undertake personal visits to obtain the information.
Responding to this year's annual canvass
Please consider responding online, by telephone or by text message wherever possible.
What do I need to do?
To respond you need to make a note of your security code on the correspondence you receive and choose one of the options below.
If you receive a yellow form and all the details remain the same you must confirm this by either:
- Visiting www.householdresponse.com/bromley or
- Calling 0800 884 0701 or
- Texting NOCHANGE followed by both parts of your security code to 80212 (charges may apply)
If the details require updating (irrespective of the form or email you receive), or someone needs to be added or removed you need to let us know by:
- Visiting www.householdresponse.com/bromley
Alternatively, you may complete the form and post it back to Civica Election Service, 33 Clarendon Road, London, N8 0NW. However it will save the council money if you use one of the above options, especially in the current situation regarding Coronavirus.
Registering to vote
Please note that the forms are not registration forms. Anyone added to the details pre-printed on the form will also need to register individually online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Registering to vote means you have a right to vote in elections and can also improve your credit rating.