Frequently asked questions - Annual Canvass
Is the data I enter online secure?
The online service and data you provide is secure. It has been independently accredited, security tested and developed to meet the best practice guidelines for data security. The website address you enter your details on is:
Householdresponse.com/malvernhills
This site is hosted by Civica Express.
I am already registered or have just applied to register to vote, do I still need to register my annual canvass response?
Yes you do. The purpose of the canvass form is to find out if there have been any changes to who is living at your address and is about the whole household whereas registering to vote is an individual process.
So even though you are registered or have applied to register we still require confirmation that the information about your household is correct. If you have recently registered to vote and your name is not showing on your canvass form then you need to add it.
Why do you need to send a canvass form every year?
By law* we have to send a canvass form every year in order to know who is eligible to register to vote at your address. The information you provide will allow us to amend any incorrect information such as removing anyone who has vacated the property and allow us to invite any new residents to register to vote.
* section 9D of the Representation of the People Act 1983, the Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001 and The Representation of the People (Annual Canvass) (Amendment) Regulations 2019.
There are no changes to the information on my canvass form, do I still need to respond?
Yes, you need to respond to confirm there are no changes. This year we are asking all households to respond even if there are no changes.
What happens if I don't respond to my annual canvass form?
We are legally obliged to keep chasing you with reminders, this may include letters and emails, followed eventually by a personal visit, which we are very keen to avoid.
There are people listed on the canvass form that don’t live here, what do I do?
If anyone listed on the form is no longer living at your address or it is not their main address then their name/s should be clearly crossed through on the form or you can remove their name using the web response.
The property is empty or unoccupied, should I respond?
Yes, please respond to the canvass form this will avoid reminders being sent and a personal property visit.
Do I include the names of everyone who lives here?
You need to include the name and nationality of everyone aged 16 or over who is resident at the address and eligible to register to vote. If there are no eligible residents, you should say why this is the case.
Am I automatically registered to vote if I complete my canvass response?
No. The annual canvass is a household exercise. The form to your household will show who is already registered to vote, so if you or anyone else over the age of 16 at the address are not listed then you are not currently registered.
When completing a web response the system will give you the opportunity to register to vote as well if you need to. You can register to vote at Gov.uk/register-to-vote but please also respond to the canvass form.
I have recently registered to vote so why is my name not on the canvass form?
We send our information to the printers several weeks before the forms are posted so if you registered to vote within the last month then your name is unlikely to show on the canvass form. It is probably a crossover of information but please ring the Electoral Services helpline if you want confirmation.
I am paying council tax, why is my name not on the canvass form?
The annual canvass and electoral register are the responsibility of the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO); they are independent of the council and share a limited amount of information about residents. The ERO is legally independent of the council to ensure impartiality, integrity and fairness. To avoid a conflict of interest, elected councillors have no oversight of the electoral registration or elections processes.
Eligibility to register and vote is not associated with the requirement to pay council tax or property ownership status.
Do I need to include my email address and phone number on the canvass form?
You are invited to include your email address and phone number on the canvass form, but you do not have to. We will use this information only in connection with your registration and voting. It helps us to contact you if there is a problem.
I am moving out of the property soon, do I need to respond?
Yes, please respond with the current information about who is resident at the property on the day of your response. Once you move to your new address don’t forget to register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. During the registration process you will be asked to provide your previous address, we will use this information to update the electoral register for both your previous and new address.
My canvass correspondence says my postal vote expires on 31 January 2026, what do I do?
If you have a postal vote for the maximum period of up to three years you will be asked to renew it before it expires. The elections office will contact you via email, text message or by post to ask you to re-apply for your postal vote before the expiry date.
- You will continue to receive a postal vote up until the expiry date but if you want to continue voting by post after that date, you will need to re-apply.
- You can re-apply for your postal vote online.
- You will need your national insurance number to do this.
If you do not complete a new application before the expiry date, the Electoral Registration Officer is required by law to cancel your postal vote, and you will only be able to vote in person at a polling station until you successfully apply again.
What will happen after I complete the canvass form?
Any new names provided on the form will be sent a form or a link via email to register to vote. Registering to vote is quick and easy online at Gov.uk/register-to-vote
Anyone changing their name on the register will be sent a change of name application form. You will be asked on this application to provide documentary evidence of your name change. A full list of documentary evidence to support your change of name can be found on the Electoral Commissions website. Your name on the electoral register should be the same as on any official documents so please include your full name including any middle names.
If you cross through or mark someone to be removed on your annual canvass response, we will begin the removal process for that person.
We cannot remove somebody from the electoral register without two separate pieces of information stating that they are no longer at the address*, so we may write to that person individually to check if they are still resident. If no response is received within 16 days then they will be deleted from the register.
*information received to remove someone could come from new occupiers, family members, other council departments or Royal Mail returns to sender
I have already returned a canvass form, do I need to return the registration form I’ve received too?
Yes. The canvass form is different to a registration form as it provides us with information on who lives in your household. The registration form is for you individually and once completed will enable you to officially register to vote. You should complete and return the registration form or register online.
I have already responded to my canvass form but have since received a reminder, do I need to complete this as well?
Not necessarily. If you have received a reminder within a week of completing your response, it is likely that the information has simply crossed over. We have to send our list of reminders to the printer a week before they go out in the post so this is unavoidable and a small number of people will receive an unnecessary reminder. If you would like to check that we have successfully received your response, please ring the Electoral Services helpline.
I am a student, should I register to vote in Malvern Hills?
As a student you can register to vote at both your term time and home address. This means that you will be able to vote if an election is called at short notice. If you register to vote at home and at your term time address you are able to vote at local elections at both addresses. It is a serious offence to vote twice at a national election such as a Parliamentary General Election or a national referendum.
You can find more information on registering to vote if you are a student on the Electoral commission: Students website.
I have received my form at my second home
Having a second home doesn't necessarily mean that you can register there as well as at your permanent address.
If you are registered to vote at two addresses, you are only allowed to vote once at a national election such as a UK Parliamentary General Election or a national referendum.
See Electoral Commission: Voting and second homes or call 01684 862200 for more information on registering to vote if you have a second home.
Why are annual canvass letters addressed to the occupier?
The format of a canvass form is set by the Electoral Commission. It is addressed to The Occupier because anyone in the property can respond to the form on behalf of the household. If we address it to a particular resident and they subsequently move out, any paper forms would be returned undelivered.
Disabilities and incapacity
If you have a disability or impairment that prevents you from completing the canvass form or registering to vote please get in touch with us in writing to Electoral Services, The Council House, Avenue Road, Malvern, WR14 3AF or by phoning us on 01684 862200 or email