Advice just received from the Citizen's Advice Bureau:
"To vote in any election you must be on the electoral register. Registration forms are delivered to every household each autumn, and generally people can check if they are registered to vote by contacting their local council. But if you have recently moved, then you need to register by visiting your local electoral registration office and filling in a registration form. Alternatively you can apply online, print off the form and sign it, then send it off to your electoral registration office.
You can apply to be added to the register or to have your details amended on the register at any time throughout the year, but registration applications must be received between two to four weeks before polling day, depending on the election timetable, and registration can take up to eight weeks, so register as soon as you can to be sure you don’t lose your vote.
It’s important to be aware that there are two versions of the electoral register. The full version lists everyone in the constituency who is eligible to vote. This is available to political parties, some government agencies and credit reference agencies. It is also available for public inspection all year round at council offices and certain other places. There is also an edited version of the electoral register which is available for open sale. You have the right to opt out of this version of the register.
For more information about the process, and restrictions on who can register to vote, see the Citizens Advice website www.adviceguide.org.uk and the Electoral Commission’s website www.aboutmyvote.co.uk ."
