News The Annual Household Canvass now underway
Maidstone Borough Council is asking residents to take a moment to ensure their household details are up to date as part of the annual canvass.
The council is responsible for keeping the electoral register accurate and making sure everyone who is eligible is registered to vote. The annual canvass plays a key role in this, and you can help by responding to the canvass communication promptly.
Following a successful trial of the method last year, and to reduce printing and paper wastage, the council will be contacting households via email, where possible. The email campaign will commence on Monday 6 July, and emails will be sent from GOV.UK Notify.
It is important to check the details and submit your response as soon as possible. The online response service is easy to use and the quickest and most efficient way to respond.
If email communications are not responded to, or if you cannot be contacted online, letters will start to be sent to properties from Wednesday 1 July onwards.
Reminder alerts will be issued to properties who have not responded to the Canvass in mid-July. After this, telephone canvassing will begin from 3 August and door-knocking to gather this remaining information starts from 24 August.
To ensure safety and security, residents visited at home are asked to verify the ID and authorisation letter carried by council officials representing the Electoral Registration Officer.
It is a legal requirement for UK citizens to ensure all information is accurate and up-to-date. The details gathered are treated confidentially and allow the council to make sure that everyone who is eligible to vote is registered.
Angela Woodhouse, Maidstone Borough Council Electoral Registration Officer, said: “With Local Government Reorganisation happening and Unitary elections planned for May 2027, making sure everyone can take part in elections is incredibly important. By providing your household information, you help to us keep you informed when it matters most. I encourage residents to respond to the canvass communication as soon as possible.”
Residents who are not listed on the canvass, and should be registered to vote, will be sent an Invitation to Register. This will be sent by email, if possible, or by post. Once this form is completed and verified, you will be added to the Electoral Register.
Residents are also reminded of recent changes to postal voting. Postal votes can no longer be held permanently, and will now expire after a maximum of three years.
A postal vote will remain valid until the third 31st of January after the application is made. For example, an application submitted on 1 January 2025 will be valid until 31 January 2027, while one submitted on 1 February 2025 will run until 31 January 2028.
If a new application is submitted before an existing postal vote expires, the three-year period will reset from the date of the new application. Postal votes can still be cancelled at any time.
Residents will be contacted by email or post approximately six weeks before their postal vote is due to expire, with instructions on how to renew.
More information can be found on the our website.