The way we all register to vote is changing
People get ready
The way you register to vote is changing across the UK. In Brighton and Hove, around 60,000 residents may need to take action to join the new register, even if they were registered in the past.
We are writing to local residents to tell them about the change. You could be one of the 60,000 who need to re-register, so it’s important that you look out for a letter between 14 and 23 July that will tell you if need to take action.
About the change
The registration system changed in June 2014, and it’s the biggest change to the voter registration system in 100 years: the new system is called ‘Individual Electoral Registration’. Previously, the ‘head of household’ was responsible for registering everyone who lived at an address, but now every individual is responsible for their own voter registration.
The new system means that for the first time people are now able to register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. To register, you will need to provide a few more details, including your National Insurance number and date of birth. This helps make the electoral register more secure.
Most people who are already registered have been transferred automatically to the new register. However, around 60,000 will need to re-register in the Brighton and Hove area. There are also people in the area who are not registered to vote at all, and so need to register to have their say in elections.
If you weren’t registered previously, you can register under the new system at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.
If you don’t have access to the internet, you can go to your local library or the Customer Service Centres at Bartholomew Square and Hove Town Hall, where the staff are trained to help you register to vote.
To find out more about the changes, visit www.gov.uk/yourvotematters
