Every year Wrexham Council holds the annual canvass, this year it is starting on September 16 and will last until January 31.

What is the annual canvass?

The annual canvass is a voter registration campaign that we have to carry out by law. It is done so that the electoral register for Wrexham can be checked and updated (to make sure that any resident who is eligible to vote can do so).

We contact every household in Wrexham, asking you to check if the details we hold for the property on the electoral register are correct.

We will then publish a new electoral register on February 1, 2025.

Changes made to the annual canvass and who can register to vote

The electors we already have on our register are now compared against data held by the Department for Work and Pensions. This helps us to find the properties where residents may have changed and decide what correspondence will be sent to the property.

The Representation of the People (Annual Canvass) Amendment Regulations 2019 (external link)
Detailed information on the changes

16 and 17 year olds were able to vote at the Senedd Elections held in May 2021 and in Local Government Elections last May. This means that we now have to register 14 and 15 year olds. If you have anyone living at your property that is aged 14 or older, they can now be added to the electoral register so that when they turn 16 they are able to vote at these elections.

All foreign nationals (that are legally living in Wales) were also able to vote in the last Senedd Elections and Local Government Elections. Previously it has only been British, Irish, Commonwealth or EU citizens. This means if you are from a country other than these you can now vote at these elections.

Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 (external link)
Detailed information on the changes

How will we contact you?

Just like in previous years, every household within Wrexham will be contacted. This may be by sending the property a canvass form, letter, or through contacting individuals by email, text or phone call.

If we do not receive a response when we legally need one, we have to try and make contact again. This may be using a different method to the first one.

What do I need to do when I receive the communication from you?

It is important that you read the communication sent by us carefully (whether that is a letter, a form or an email). This year not all canvass letters require a response.

You need to follow the instructions to make sure that everyone living in your property (who is eligible to vote) is registered. If there is information missing then you need to contact us to let us know. If there are any 14 to 17 year olds or other foreign citizens living at your property that are not listed then we need to have their details too.

We would appreciate a quick response so that a reminder is not sent out.

What if I do not respond?

If you do not respond to the communication or the reminder when you have been asked to, you may get a phone call from our office or a canvasser (an officer from the council) may visit your property to confirm with you in person.

How do I confirm or update the information you have for the property?

Please follow the instructions provided in the communication. If a response is needed this will be written in the communication. If possible, please use one of the services below as this helps us to save money.

Online – to confirm, add, delete or amend details

Log on* to the household response website.

Household response (external link)

Freephone Automated Telephone Service - only to confirm details are correct

Phone
0800 8840701 – English*
0800 8840702 - Welsh*

Text - only to confirm details are correct

Text NOCHANGE followed by your security code* to 80212 (if nobody is eligible to vote include a reason after your security code e.g. empty, business, 2nd home, none, other).

* You will need the security code (2 parts) included in the communication.

What happens once I have responded?

Once we have received the information we will check it against the electoral register. If there are any additions, deletions or amendments these will be updated on the electoral register.

If you tell us someone has moved away, we will send that person a letter so that we have confirmation that they have moved away. This is because we're required to have two pieces of evidence to remove someone from the electoral register.

Invitation to Register form

If you have added someone to the property then we will send them an Invitation to Register form in the post or by email which asks them to provide more information, such as date of birth and National Insurance number. This is so that we can confirm their identity.

If you have been added to a property we need a response to this form in order to complete your electoral registration. You will not be added to the electoral register until we have received this information. You can also do this by registering to vote online.

GOV.UK – register to vote (external link)

You will need your National Insurance number and date of birth to complete this process. This is so that your identity can be confirmed against the Department for Work and Pensions records. There is also a section to complete about any previous address.

GOV.UK - your National Insurance number (external link)

What does the law say about electoral registration?

The following report produced for the House of Commons summarises what the law says about your responsibilities in responding to the registration forms sent to you.

Electoral registration: Penalties for providing false information or refusing to provide information (external link)