Household Canvass 2023 - What will happen this year?

What is the reformed canvass?

Each year the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) must conduct an annual canvass to ensure the electoral register is accurate and complete.  The annual canvass had a revamp by the Cabinet Office back in 2020 and in 2021.  They have set new instructions for the ERO to follow, these instructions are set in law.

How does the new canvass work?

Step 1:  Data matching

• The Electoral Register is sent securely to the Department of Working Pensions (DWP) database to be matched in July 2023.  Electors' names and address will be matched against National Insurance details and the information held by the DWP.  In addition to this an ERO has the discretion to use local data (e.g. Council Tax records) to perform a matching exercise as well.
• If all the registered people at a property can be matched with either of these databases the property will be sent down Route 1 canvass.
• If there are any people at a property that can not be matched the property will be sent down Route 2 canvass.
• Care homes, nursing homes and all other properties that have a responsible person i.e. a duty manager will be sent down Route 3 canvass.

Step 2: Routes of communication

Route 1

• If we hold an e-mail address for you we will send you an e-mail to ask you to confirm that our details are correct.  If you need to submit a change you will be able to do this as well.
• Within the e-mail there will be a web address to access your property details -  www.registersecurely.com/gosport 
• You will also receive two security codes in the e-mail that are used as a log in to identify your property.
• After logging in you will be able to confirm or change the details we hold for that property.
• If we do not hold an e-mail address for you, or we do not receive a response from that e-mail, we will send the property a form which will have the elector details listed on it.  If they are correct you do not need to do anything more, if you would like to add or remove someone from the property, go to the website address and use the security codes on the form  to log in and complete that change.
• If you do not wish to respond online and you have no changes to submit you can call 0800 975 8606 for the automated telephone freephone service, or you can post this form back to us addressed to Electoral Registration Officer, Gosport Borough Council, Town Hall, High Street, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1EB.

Route 2

• We will send a form to the property through the post which will have elector details listed on it if we are aware of registered electors.  A blank form will be sent if the property is empty.
• We need a response from this form even if there are no changes to report.
• If you would like to add or remove someone's name from the property, go to the website address on the form and use the security codes to log in and complete that change.
• If you do not wish to respond online and you have no changes to submit you can call 0800 975 8606 for the automated freephone telephone service, you can also post this form back to us addressed to Electoral Registration Officer, Gosport Borough Council, Town Hall, High Street, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1EB using the FREEPOST envelope included with your form.
• If we do not receive a response from the form we send, we will make every attempt to get a response from you, this may be via reminder forms, the telephone or a visit to your property.

Route 3

• Care managers or duty managers will receive a letter with a list of those registered at the address.
• If you do not wish to respond online and you have no changes to submit you can call 0800 975 8606 for the automated telephone service, you can also post this form back to us addressed to Electoral Registration Officer, Gosport Borough Council, Town Hall, High Street, Gosport, Hampshire, PO12 1EB using the FREEPOST envelope included with the form.
• If we do not receive a response from the forms we send we will make every attempt to get a response from you, this may be via reminder forms, the telephone or a visit to your property.