Don’t lose your vote – Orkney residents are urged to check details

Orkney residents are being urged to check their electoral registration details or risk losing their chance to vote on decisions that affect them.

The Electoral Registration Officer will be getting in touch with every household in the county to check that the electoral register is up to date, and to identify any residents who should be registered but are currently missing.

Robert Eunson, Electoral Registration Officer for Orkney and Shetland, said: “Keep an eye out for important updates from our Electoral Registration Office. The annual canvass is our way of making sure that the information on the electoral register for every address is accurate and up to date. To make sure you don’t lose your say at upcoming elections, simply follow the instructions sent to you.

“If you’re not currently registered, your name will not appear in the messages we send. If you want to register, the easiest way is online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.”

Recent home movers in particular are asked to check their details. Electoral Commission research has found that recent home movers are less likely to be registered than those who have lived at the same address for a long time. In Great Britain, 92% of those who have lived in their home for 16 years will be registered, compared with 36% of people who have lived at an address for less than a year.

Andy O’Neill, Head of the Electoral Commission in Scotland, said: “It’s really important that everyone who is eligible to vote is able to do so. We urge people to check for updates from their Electoral Registration Officer on this year’s canvass. You might receive an email, a letter, or a phone call, or someone might knock on your door.

“If you are not registered to vote, make sure you provide the necessary information to your Electoral Registration Officer when asked and register to vote online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote.”

Information on registering to vote is available on the Electoral Commission website.

Residents with questions about their registration status can contact their local electoral registration office at 8 Broad Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NX.  Tel: (01856) 876222 or Email:  ero@orkney.gov.uk