Annual canvass 2026: Make sure you're on the electoral register and can vote
Camden residents are being asked to look out for emails and letters checking their details on the electoral register, and make sure they are registered to vote.
Camden’s Electoral Services are currently contacting every household by email and post to find out if there are any changes, so they can remove people who no longer live there and invite new residents to register to vote. This is called the annual canvass.
You must reply, even if you are already on the electoral register.
The annual canvass helps keep the electoral register up to date, but you still need to make sure you’re registered to vote
How to respond to the annual canvass
Only one person needs to respond on behalf of the household.
Remember to include any 16 or 17-year-olds in your household in your response, so they can be invited to register to vote now and are ready to vote in elections as soon as they turn 18.
If you get an email, it will be from electoral.services.camden.council@notifications.service.gov.uk with the subject line: ‘Annual Canvass 2026’. This will provide you with the security codes and instructions you need to complete this online.
If you receive this information by post, you will receive a pink, yellow or green form.
Pink or yellow form – Someone from your household must reply to this form. Check the details on the form and follow the instructions about how to confirm that the information we have is correct or let us know of any changes needed, for example, if someone has moved out/in.
Green form – Someone will need to check the details are correct, but you only need to contact us if you need to update any information, for example, if someone has moved out or in, changed their name, or you want to change your voting preference.
Find out more about how to respond
Please reply promptly to the email or letter to save you receiving reminders.
You are required by law to respond to the annual canvass, unless you are sent a green form.
Check you’re ready to vote
To register to vote, apply on the GOV.UK website or contact Camden Electoral Services for a paper application. Registering to vote is important so you are ready for any future elections, which can be called at any time, and can also improve your credit score.
Find out more about registering to vote and eligibility
Postal votes
If you have a postal vote, we may be in contact. We are required by law to ask you to refresh your postal application every three years, so to keep your postal vote for future elections, please reply with the information we need.
If you don’t have a postal vote, you can apply on the GOV.UK website or contact Camden Electoral Services for a paper application.
Voter ID
If you vote at a polling station, you will need to show accepted photo ID. If you do not have accepted photo ID, you will need to apply for a free Voter Authority Certificate.
Check if you have accepted photo ID and how to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate
About the electoral register
The annual canvass ends on 30 November 2026. Anyone registering to vote for the first time during this period will join the electoral register via a monthly rolling addition or 1 December 2026 when the revised register is published.
There are two versions of the electoral register. The full register is used for electoral purposes only, while the open register is an extract of the full register that can be purchased by any individual or organisation.
If you’re currently registered to vote, your email or letter will state if you are listed on the full or open electoral register. When you register to vote or update your details, you can choose to opt out of the open register. This does not affect your right to vote.
More information
If you have questions about the electoral register or registering to vote, email our Electoral Services team or phone 020 7974 4444.