NEWS Malvern Hills District residents urged to check voter registration details

Malvern Hills residents are being urged to check their electoral registration details to avoid losing their chance to vote on decisions that affect them. 

The annual canvass allows the Electoral Registration Officer to keep the electoral register up to date, identify who may risk losing their voice at elections, and encourage residents to register before it is too late. 

The council will contact all households by email and post.  Residents should check the names and details of those registered at their address and follow the instructions about how to respond.  

Responses can be made online at www.householdresponse.com/malvernhills or by post. New voters, such as people who have recently moved house or turned 16 years old, must also register to vote in addition to responding to their canvass form. Applications to register to vote can be made online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.    

Andy Baldwin, Electoral Registration Officer at MHDC, said: “Keep an eye out for important updates from Malvern Hills District Council. The annual canvass is our way of making sure the information on the electoral register for every address is accurate and up to date. To make sure you don’t lose your say at upcoming elections, simply follow the instructions sent to you.” 

Recent home movers are particularly urged to check their details. Electoral Commission research has found that recent home movers are less likely to be registered than those who have lived at the same address for a long time. 

In Great Britain, 92% of people who have lived in their home for 16 years will be registered, compared with 36% of people who have lived at an address for less than a year. 

Jackie Killeen, Director of Electoral Administration and Regulation, said: “It’s really important that everyone who is eligible to vote is able to do so. We urge people to check for updates from their local council on this year’s canvass. The council may contact residents by post or email. If you are not registered to vote, make sure you provide the necessary information to your local council when asked and register to vote online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.” 

Residents with questions about their registration status can contact Malvern Hills District Council’s electoral services team at www.malvernhills.gov.uk/voting-and-elections. 

Date published: 20 August 2026

More information about the Annual Canvass

• The Representation of the People Act 1983 places a duty on electoral registration officers to maintain the electoral register for their area and to conduct an annual canvass of all residential properties.  

• The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote. The register is used for electoral purposes, such as making sure only eligible people can vote. It is also used for other reasons as specified in law, such as detecting crime (e.g. fraud), calling people for jury service or checking credit applications. 

• The open register is an extract of the electoral register, but is not used for elections. It can be bought by any person, company or organisation. For example, it is used by businesses and charities to confirm name and address details. Your name and address will be included in the open register unless you ask for them to be removed. Removing your details from the open register does not affect your right to vote. 

• To be eligible to register to vote a person must be: 

• aged 16 or over (a person may register to vote at 16, but may not vote until they are 18) 

• a British or qualifying Commonwealth citizen who has leave to enter and remain in the UK, or who does not require such leave 

• a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or other European Union (EU) member state 

• British citizens, Irish citizens and qualifying Commonwealth citizens can vote in local elections in England and Northern Ireland, Mayor of London and London Assembly elections, Police and Crime Commissioner elections, and UK general elections. 

• EU nationals legally resident in the UK may currently register to vote in local government elections, provided they meet the age and residency requirements and are not legally incapable of voting. The Elections Act 2022 changed the eligibility of some EU citizens to vote. 

• The changes in voting rights for EU nationals will not affect voters from Cyprus, Malta and Ireland.  

• Full details of the Electoral Commission’s research on the electoral registers can be found on its website.