Outreach service - get help registering to vote

Outreach workers support residents who might otherwise find it difficult to register to vote in the normal ways. They also work with groups of people in the city who are less likely to be registered to vote.

Those less likely to be registered include:

  • older people
  • young people
  • students
  • people in care

Sometimes people are not registered because they don’t understand the process, or don’t see information that is sent out by post or email.

How the outreach team can help

Outreach support is provided free to housebound and disabled residents and to others who can’t register to vote using the usual channels.

If you need help to register to vote, please contact us by emailing electors@brighton-hove.gov.uk or calling 01273 291999.

Home visits to help with registration

Outreach workers use iPads to register residents in their own homes, checking identity in person and making registration quicker. They can also arrange a postal vote at the same time if required.

Help with postal or proxy voting arrangements and form filling

If you have a problem filling in forms or getting them into the post, we can take details over the phone or arrange a home visit to help. We can help you to fill the forms in or collect signed forms once completed.

We cannot arrange transport to polling stations or act as proxy for residents.

Checking if extra support is needed

Sometimes we can waive the requirement for forms to be signed if the resident can’t give a consistent signature because of health problems. We can also arrange to collect completed postal votes from housebound residents and return them for counting.

Care homes for older people

The outreach team works with care homes to make sure residents have the opportunity to register to vote

The team can help care homes meet the legal requirements for electoral registration and voting under the Health and Social Care Act (2008). Information about these requirements can be found in the Care Quality Commission guidelines for supporting involvement in the community.

The Care Home Handbook (PDF 1.56mb) was developed in consultation with practitioners in the city.

Care Homes can ask the outreach team to

  • visit and register residents
  • arrange absent votes and signature waivers

Care homes can

  • confirm the identity of their residents
  • make a statement of incapacity where registering might cause distress
  • send us resident information in an agreed electronic format instead of in a household enquiry form

Staff in care homes

Staff in care homes can help residents register and to cast their vote. If you are worried about registering to vote, please talk to the staff in your care home, or contact the electoral services team by emailing electors@brighton-hove.gov.uk or calling 01273 291999.

Paper versions of registration forms

Forms for care home workers

Confirming the identity of a care home resident:

Declaring incapacity to vote:

Inability to provide consistent signature

Other residential care establishments

The outreach team can provide help with the electoral canvass, as well as practical help to register residents of hostels, adult social care homes and supported living schemes. 
Please contact the team by emailing electors@brighton-hove.gov.uk or calling 01273 291999.

People living in residential care can register to vote in the same ways as everybody else. You can find out more about voting at the about my vote website.

Voting and elections