20,000 Households In Reading Risk Losing Their Vote

More than 20,000 households in Reading have still not registered to vote and risk missing out on having a say in forthcoming elections.

Local elections will be held in Reading next year with a General Election also on the horizon. However if either of these vital elections were held today residents living in more than 20,000 households across the borough would not be allowed to vote.

Of the 66,785 households in Reading who received forms in August, 46,738 – around 70% – have returned them to date.

As usual, teams of door to door canvassers are out and about across Reading urging people to fill in and return their forms, but a significant number of households remain unregistered. The deadline for receipt of completed forms, telephone and on-line registrations is November 22nd, so please ensure you have posted your completed form to arrive at the Council by then.

A joint statement by Reading Borough Council Group Leaders Jo Lovelock, Andrew Cumpsty and Kirsten Bayes, read: "It is worrying to think that nearly a third of households eligible to vote in Reading have still not returned their forms. People need to remember that there is a requirement to register every year, even if their details have not changed. We have all met people who have missed out on voting because they forgot to register, and with both local and general elections due next year it is even more important for all residents to make sure they are registered."

It is easy to register. If residents still have the A4 forms that were sent out to them in August, they can complete, sign and return the form in the enclosed pre-paid envelope. If there are no changes to family details this can be confirmed by phone, SMS text, or internet, as explained on the registration form.

Some residents do not think they have to register if their details are the same as previous years. However the register has to be updated annually by law and householders have a legal obligation to complete the form every year.

Reading Residents not on the electoral register will not be able to vote in any forthcoming elections and therefore not have a say on who runs local services. Credit companies also use the electoral register to check for residence, and if residents are not on the register they may experience difficulties in getting credit. Registering for other services or paying Council Tax does not register you to vote.

The Reading Council encourages all households to respond as soon as possible as it helps save the council tax payer money. The longer people take to respond, the more resources the Council has to put into chasing up potential voters. The Council reminds all Borough residents that they have a legal duty to complete and return the electoral registration forms that are being sent to their homes.

Reading Borough Council