Witney News - Register to vote the easy way

Register to vote the easy way

Electoral registration forms for 2011 have gone out to West Oxfordshire households and confirming details can now be done very easily.

Where details haven’t changed, householders can simply send a text, call a freephone number or visit www.westoxon.gov.uk/register. If changes need to be made, they can simply fill in the form and return it in the pre-paid envelope provided.

Keith Butler, West Oxfordshire District Council’s Electoral Registration Officer said, “Electoral registration is simple and takes just a couple of minutes to respond. Many residents do not realise that confirming details has to be done each year and so do not respond until we issue reminders or carry out door to door visits. This is very expensive and so we are urging people to register quickly as this can save thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money by avoiding the cost of reminders.”

To be eligible to vote residents must be on the Electoral Register. The Register is also often used by credit checking agencies and can be required for things such as getting a loan or mortgage or mobile phone contract. Other pitfalls of not being on the Register include not being eligible to apply for certain jobs which require security checks and not being able to open a bank account.

Anyone who has not received an electoral registration form by should contact the Council on 01993 861410 or online at www.westoxon.gov.uk/register. Further information is also available online.