Cheshire East Council is calling on people to act now – so they don’t lose their vote at the next elections.
And the message is: If you can’t vote, you haven’t got a voice!
The Council’s electoral services team is having voter registration forms delivered to all 166,000 households in Cheshire East.
Residents are being urged to complete the simple form and post it back to ensure their details are on the official Register of Electors for 2010/11.
People can also provide their voter details by phone or online, if they are unchanged or wish to apply for a postal vote.
If people don’t respond, they could miss out on being able to vote in the local elections on May 5 – when all 81 Cheshire East councillors are up for re-election for the first time.
There is also expected to be a national referendum on the ‘alternative vote’ system next May, as part of the Coalition Government’s agreement to put electoral reform to the popular vote.
The voter registration response rate in Cheshire East was 88 per cent last year – and the Council aims to do even better this time.
A van with large advertisement panels has been touring across Cheshire East to promote the voter registration campaign. And Bluetooth phone technology is being used to get the message to people’s mobiles as the van passes by.
The hi-tech picture message flashes the question ‘Are you registered to vote?’, alongside a reminder to fill in a Register of Electors form and the helpline phone number 0300 123 5016.
The promotional campaign van will take its message out on the road again during the week beginning October 25.
Cheshire East Council Chief Executive Erika Wenzel, who will be the Returning Officer at the next local elections, said: “It is really important that people don’t miss out on their chance to vote and have their say. Voting is the lifeblood of our healthy democracy.
“The fact is, if you haven’t got a vote, you haven’t got a voice. I would urge everyone of voting age to take just a few minutes to ensure that they register.”
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