Registering to Vote

Electoral Registration

The Electoral Services Department is responsible for producing the Annual Register of Electors, sometimes called the Voters’ Roll, of all residents who are eligible to vote.

Each year, during late August and early September, the Council sends a Register of Electors form to every household in the County Borough.

This is a household form that should be completed and returned giving details of all the adults who will be living at the property on 15th October. The Register compiled from the returned forms is published on 1st December.

Households where there has been no change to the names previously registered may be able to re-register by phone or internet or by text by following instructions on the form.

Between 1st December and 20th August the following year, the register is amended by a series of monthly updates, so that you can apply to go on the Register at any time. This is called Rolling Registration.

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Anonymous Registration

Certain people can now apply to be entered anonymously on the register of electors. Although the register of electors is in alphabetical street order and not name order, there are some people who feel that being on the register of electors could affect their safety. e.g. people escaping from domestic violence or those where their occupation would mean they just keep their identity private.

If you feel that you are at risk by your name appearing on the register of electors you can apply to be entered anonymously and if your application is accepted your name and address will not appear on the register, only your electoral number. Any person living with you can also apply to vote in this way.

You will need to complete one of the forms below giving the reason for needing to be registered anonymously. You are required by law to provide documentary evidence in the form of a court order or injunction. If you do not have either of these you are required by law for your application to be supported by one of the following people:

  • the Chief Officer of Police of any police force in England and Wales 
  • the Chief Constable of any police force in Scotland or the Police Service of Northern Ireland 
  • Director General of the Security Services or the Serious Organised Crime Agency
  • a Director of Adult Services or Children's Services in England, a Director of Social Services in Wales or a Chief Social Work Officer in Scotland

The qualifying officer does not have to be based in the same area as you, but the supporting documentation cannot be signed by a more junior person within their organisation.

To apply to register anonymously please contact the Electoral Registration Service or download the form below.

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Register of Electors

There are two versions of the register: the FULL version and the EDITED version. When you fill in your voter registration form, you will be able to choose whether you want your details included in the edited register.

The FULL register contains the names of everyone in the County who is entitled to vote and can only be used for certain purposes such as elections, law enforcement and checking your identity when you have applied for credit. It is a criminal offence for them to pass this information on to anyone else or to use it for any other purpose. The Government has introduced new arrangements for inspecting the full register to ensure that information provided can be safeguarded. The full register can now only be inspected under supervision, at Ty Dewi Sant Rhosddu Road Wrexham by prior arrangement only. It is an offence to make copies other than by hand written notes. Misuse of data from the full register could lead to a fine of up to £5,000.

The EDITED register contains the names of everyone in the County who is entitled to vote except those who opted out of this version of the register by ticking the appropriate box on the registration form. This register can be purchased by anyone and used for any purpose.Please see list below showing which register is available in each library.

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Eligibility to register and vote

Generally, to be included in the Voters’ Register a person must be:

  • resident in the County Borough on the date of the application
  • a British, Irish or Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of another member state of the European Union or British Overseas Territories
  • aged 18 years old and over (or will become 18 during the life of the register).

Citizens of other countries resident within the County do NOT qualify for registration under current legislation.For example : China, The Phillipines, Turkey, USA etc

Marriage to a British Citizen or grant of permanent residence in the United Kingdom does NOT confer British Citizenship or right to vote in elections within the United Kingdom.

For more information regarding Citizenship please visit the Border and Immigration Agency website www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk

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Living or working abroad

If you are a British citizen and you are living or working abroad, you may be eligible to vote at Parliamentary elections and European Parliamentary elections from your last registered address. To be eligible to register as an overseas voter the applicant must have been registered in the UK within a 15 year period.

Once registered as an overseas elector, you will be able to vote by post or proxy for all Parliamentary and European Parliamentary elections.

You can register as an overseas elector if:

  • you are a British Citizen living outside the United Kingdom 
  • your name was previously on the electoral register for an address within the district. 
  • there is no more than 15 years between the qualifying date for the registration and the date of the application.

Please contact the electoral registration service to request a form.

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Service Voters

If you are a member of Her Majesty's armed forces, a Crown Servant or a British council employee you can apply to be included on the register by declaration or on a household registration form as a service voter. Renewal forms are sent out three months prior to the renewal date.

If a service voter registers as a 'normal' elector, they effectively cease to be categorised as a service voter. The declaration must be submitted via the relevant government department or the British Council.

Members of the armed forces and their spouses may register: 

  •  By service declaration (for a period of 36 months). The declaration must be received by the Electoral Registration Officer within  three months of the date of the declaration and may be cancelled at any time by the declarant; or
  • At their home address (in the same way as civilian electors - using individual application forms or the annual canvass form)

Please contact the electoral registration service to request a form.

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Telephone, Internet and Text Voter Registration

It is not possible to register to vote by phone, internet or by text as initial applications to register to vote require the signature of the applicant. However, once you are registered it may be possible to renew your entry either by phone, internet or text.

Every year the Council has a voter registration campaign during September and October. Each household is sent a form showing the names currently registered to vote at that particular address.

If all the elector details printed for a property are going to remain the same, it is possible for the person completing the form to confirm the existing details by calling a free phone number or through a web-site by following the instructions on the form. It is now also possible to confirm existing details using text messaging but you will need the form with you while carrying out any telephone internet or text transaction, because each form has a unique security code that will need to be entered. Please do not return the printed form if you have registered by phone, internet or text – this will save the Council money on postage costs.

At the same time as allowing people to renew existing entries, telephone and internet registration will allow the person confirming the details to request postal vote application forms and to make changes to the Edited Register “opt out” status of existing voters. Don’t worry if you make a mistake while confirming details by either phone, internet or text – you can still complete the paper form and send it in and the information on the paper form will take priority over any details given by phone or internet.

To use the service

Telephone - dial the freephone number on the registration form and when asked, key in the 10 digit unique reference number shown on the form.

You will be told that the registration is complete, and you should not return the registration form.

Internet - log on to www.register-online.co.uk.

When prompted, key in the 10 digit unique reference number and Internet password, as printed on the form.

Follow the on screen prompts to complete the registration.

Text - electors can confirm their registration by SMS Text messaging by Texting their 10 digit unique reference number to 07624 818 560.

They will be sent a return text confirming their registration. (Standard network rates apply).

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