Win £1,000! Respond to the annual canvass digitally

Confirm your voter details digitally by 14 August, and be entered into a prize draw to win £1000.

It’s annual canvass time and if you live in North Dorset, West Dorset or Weymouth & Portland you have more reason than most to be waiting by your letter box.

Household Enquiry Forms are being sent to all properties in the area. Look out for an envelope addressed ‘To the occupier’.

The form shows who is currently registered to vote at your address and asks you to check if those details are correct.

You can choose to complete and return the paper form by post, but if you respond to the form online, by text or phone before 14 August you will be automatically entered in to a prize draw to win £1000.

Responding digitally to the annual canvass is quick and easy for you. It also saves your council time and money that can be spent providing essential services to our residents.

The councils estimate that it costs 20 pence per elector to process digital registrations. Returned paper forms, on the other hand, cost approximately £2.50 per elector. This adds up when you consider the councils have to send out around 100,000 forms across the area.

The councils are asking for replies by 14 August to avoid the need to send people a reminder letter.

Matt Prosser, Chief Executive of the Dorset Councils Partnership, said: “The annual canvass is a really important job in terms of making sure residents are on the electoral register. But it’s a huge undertaking to process the information we gather and costly too, especially when it’s returned on paper.

“Last year we reduced costs by nearly £20,000 by encouraging residents to respond digitally. We would like to further reduce our costs this year so please keep an eye out for your form and respond online, by Freephone or by text, by 14 August.

“You never know, you could be a winner!”

Terms and conditions apply. Find out more about the annual canvass here www.dorsetforyou.gov.uk/elections-and-voting