Annual canvass of residents
By law, we must carry out an annual canvass of all residential properties to ensure we have the correct residents registered to vote (including any 16 or 17 year olds). We do this by contacting all residential addresses in the borough to ask if the details we hold are still accurate.
The information we receive is used to invite unregistered residents to register to vote and to remove the names of electors who are no longer living at their registered address.
Properties will be contacted in different phases, so not all addresses will receive something from us at the same time. If you receive a request for information, please respond straightaway. If we don’t receive a prompt response, we are required to send reminders and may also employ canvassers to visit your property, which costs the Council money.
Please note that your response may not automatically update information on the electoral register. We will contact you if further action is required.
Where new names are provided, an invitation to register will be sent by post or emailed to those eligible to register to vote. These names will not be included in the electoral register until the individuals have made successful applications to register to vote. There is no need to wait for the invitation - any new residents who are eligible to vote should register to vote (GOV.UK) as soon as possible.
How we will contact you
This will depend on what details we have for your household.
If we hold an email address on record, you may receive an email from electoral.services.wandsworth.council@notifications.service.gov.uk.
You can unsubscribe if you no longer wish to be contacted by email.
If you have moved from the specified address, request removal from the electoral register.
Text/SMS message
If we hold a mobile phone number on record, you may receive a message from ‘GOVUK'.
If you have moved from the specified address, request removal from the electoral register.
Paper form
A form may be delivered to your property (addressed to 'The Occupier(s)').
Personal visit
If we do not receive a response to a form and information is still required from your household, one of our electoral registration canvassers may visit your address to collect the required information. If there is no answer when they visit your address, they will leave one of our ‘Response Required’ calling cards. Please respond as soon as possible, as the canvasser may have to visit again if a prompt response is not received.
How to respond
This will depend on how you were contacted.
If you received an email
Use the security codes to respond online at householdresponse.com/wandsworth
If you received a paper form
Use the security codes to respond:
- Online at householdresponse.com/wandsworth
- By calling the automated freephone service on 0800 197 9871 (only if there are no changes to make)
- By text/SMS (only if there are no changes to make): text 80212 with the message NO CHANGE, followed by your security codes*
*If nobody is eligible to vote please include the reason e.g. property is empty, business, second home etc. Standard charges apply.
If you cannot use any of these options, complete and post the canvass form to Electoral Services or hand it in at the Customer Centre.
Frequently asked questions
Find the answers to common questions about the annual voter canvass.
Further help
If you can't find the answer to your query, contact Electoral Services via our online form or call the Electoral Services Helpline on 020 8871 6023.