Residents across Cumberland are being encouraged to make sure their details on the electoral register are correct.
Cumberland Council has this week started its annual canvass of electors – a process which looks to ensure the details it has on the electoral register are correct. The process also helps identify any residents who are not registered to vote, so that they can be given the opportunity to register.
Each year the council contacts every household in Cumberland to check whether it has the correct people registered to vote and to ask residents to inform it of any changes.
Residents may therefore receive emails or letters over the coming weeks asking them to check who it has on the register and how to inform the council of any changes.
It is important to keep the information on the register up to date as elections can be called at any time, however, the next scheduled elections for residents in Cumberland are in May next year. These elections will be for Cumberland Council and the new elected mayor for Cumbria.
Andrew Seekings, the council’s Electoral Registration Officer, said: “It is vital that your details are correct so if an election is called in your area, you’re ready to vote. It’s also a great opportunity to get onto the electoral register if you’re not already.
“Please look out for the emails or letters that will be sent by our electoral services team and follow the instructions on there.”
If someone is required to respond to the annual canvass and does not do so, the council will make further attempts to contact them by email or post. From September 2026 the council’s team of canvassers will be visiting properties that have not responded in order to obtain the necessary information. Canvassers will carry photographic ID badges issued by the council.
More information can be found on the elections section of our website, or by emailing [email protected].
Anyone who needs to register to vote can do so quickly and easily online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. It is particularly important that those who have recently turned 18 or have moved address are registered at the right property.