The way we all register to vote is changing

The way people register to vote is changing across the UK. In Brighton & Hove around 60,000 residents may need to take action to join the new register, even if they were registered in the past.

Brighton & Hove City Council will be writing to local residents to explain about the change. It’s important to look out for a letter between 14 and 23 July that will tell you if action is needed to re-register.

About the change

The registration system changed in June 2014 and this is the biggest reform to the voter registration system in a century. The new system is called ‘Individual Electoral Registration’.

Previously, the ‘head of household’ was responsible for registering everyone who lived at an address, but now every individual is responsible for their own voter registration. The new system means that for the first time people are now able to register online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

To register, you will need to provide a few more details than previously required, including your National Insurance number and date of birth. This helps make the electoral register more secure.

Most people who are already registered have been transferred automatically to the new register. However around 60,000 will need to re-register in the Brighton & Hove area.

There are also people in the area who are not registered to vote at all and so need to register to have their say in elections. If you weren’t registered previously, you can register under the new system at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.

If you don’t have access to the internet, you can go to your local library or the council’s Customer Service Centres in Bartholomew Square and Hove Town Hall, where staff are trained to help you register to vote.

To find out more about the changes, visit www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/vote or www.gov.uk/yourvotematters

Residents can also find out more by contacting Brighton & Hove City Council’s Electoral Services team on 01273 291999 or by email electors@brighton-hove.gov.uk