Register to vote

In order to vote in UK elections and referendums, you need to apply to have your name included on the electoral register. This is known as registering to vote. It is a legal requirement to register.

If you are not registered you will not be able to vote at any election. You are not automatically registered even if you pay Council Tax. You can register to vote if you are 16 years old or over, and a British, Irish, Commonwealth or European Union citizen. If you are 16 or 17, you can register now but you are not allowed to vote until you are 18.

Many of the major credit firms check your address against the electoral register and you may be refused a loan, mobile phone agreement, mortgage, bank account, etc, if you are not registered. It is also your chance to have your say about how the Council or the government is run.

We understand that some people such as members of the Armed Forces or overseas electors find it difficult to register so we provide alternative ways for them. We also appreciate that the elderly or disabled may not be able to get out and about as easily as others and people lead very busy lives nowadays. In these circumstances you can apply for a Postal Vote or a Proxy Vote so you don't miss your chance to vote.

Electoral Register

The Electoral Register contains the names and addresses of all those who have registered to vote within the Bolsover constituency.

Every August/September, a form is issued to each household in the constituency requesting the names of those residing in the house who are eligible to vote. Information on how to complete the Voter Registration form is included on the back of the form and the enclosed leaflet.

Reminders are issued to households who have not responded and the revised Electoral Register is published on 1st December each year. 

Two versions are prepared:

1. The Full Register lists everybody who is eligible to vote, copies are available at our Contact Centres for public inspection in accordance with legal requirements. Inspection of the register is under supervision.  The Register cannot be searched electronically.
2. The edited version leaves out names and addresses of people who have made a request to be excluded from this version of the register. The edited version can be bought by anyone for any purpose.

To check that you are registered, please telephone 01246 242427 or email democratic.services@bolsover.gov.uk for an application form.

If you move house after the register is published on 1st December annually you can apply to be registered in respect of your new address under the Rolling Registration procedures which takes approximately one month. You should contact us for an application form register at your new address.

Once an election has been called and you find out that you are not currently registered you can apply to register up to 11 days before the election.

If you would like to search historic copies of Electoral Registers, for instance, if you are researching your family tree, these are held by the British Library.

Last Updated on Thursday, 23 September 2010 08:25

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