How to Register to Vote

Who is eligible to register to vote?

• People who are 16 years or over (but they must be 18 to vote), and are
• Resident at an address within the borough, and are
• British, Irish, qualifying Commonwealth or European Union citizens. European Union citizens (except British, Irish, Maltese and Cypriot) can only vote in local elections, and if they apply separately, European Parliamentary elections.

|List of Countries Eligible to Vote

It's not compulsory to vote but it is compulsory to register.

How can I register to vote?

• Annual Canvass - between September and December

We send a registration form to every household in the borough at the end of August each year. This form shows the names, if anyone, of people currently registered to vote at the property. You must check it carefully and either confirm there are no changes, or make changes as required.

If the details on the form are correct, you will save the council money registering by telephone or by Internet. If you use one of these options you will need your two-part security code which can be found on your form. The services are easy to use and you will be provided with instructions on what to do. Once you have registered by telephone or by Internet, you don't need to return your paper form.

If you wish to add or remove names, or make an amendment to existing information, you can only register by post.

The law says you must respond to your form, even if nobody is eligible to vote at the address. If we don't receive your form, we will send a reminder to you in October and you may receive a home visit. If you don't register, you won't be able to vote in elections and have your say on issues that matter to you. Your credit rating may be affected and you could also receive a fine. You are not automatically registered if you pay Council Tax.

On 1 December each year, we will publish the revised Register of Electors. You can view it at the |Civic Centre in Esher.

• Individual Voter Registration - between December and August

We publish updates to the Register of Electors on the first working day of every month from January through to September. If you have just moved home, or if you didn't put your name on the annual household registration form, you can fill in the form below and send it to us. Each person must complete a separate form.

Depending on when we receive your form, it can take between 3 and 7 weeks for your name to appear on the Register of Electors. The deadline for registering to vote at an election is 11 working days before the election.

The two versions of the register

There are two versions of the Register of Electors: the full version and the edited version. When you fill in your form, you can choose to 'opt out' of the edited version, which anyone can buy. You must make you choice clear every year on your annual canvass form, even if you have opted out before. You can view more information about opting out at |Who can access the Register of Electors?

|Print your voter registration form

Registering for Council Tax

The Electoral and Council Tax records are entirely separate. The information included on each is different and they are compiled separately. When you register for Council Tax you are not automatically registered to vote. |Find out more about Council Tax online.

I live abroad. Can I still register to vote?

If you are a British citizen living abroad you can register to vote in UK parliamentary elections for up to 15 years from the time you were last registered to vote in the UK. |Please contact Electoral Services for details.

If you are working for the British government, British Council or British armed forces overseas you can register to vote in all UK elections. |Please contact Electoral Services for |details.

I have no fixed address. Can I still register to vote?

Yes. If you are living in temporary accommodation, or are homeless, or you are in prison on remand or living at a mental health institution, you can register using a Declaration of Local Connection form. |Please contact Electoral Services for details.