With the annual voter registration canvass now underway, a form or letter will be sent to over 300,000 households in Lanarkshire.

To ensure that residents are able to vote in any future elections, they should follow the guidance contained within the communication which will indicate if a response is required or not.

Where a response is to be made, this can be done so in a variety of ways including via a freephone or text service where details on the form have not changed. There is also an online option where changes can be made.

The Electoral Registration Officer, Gary Bennett said: “If a response is to be made the use of a range of services such as online, telephone or text, makes confirming details easy and saves money compared to the costs of returning the paper form through the post. However, where a response is required and it is not made, there is a requirement to issue reminders and pursue the required information”.

A fine up to £1000 may ultimately be imposed for failing to supply the information.

Residents should also remember that credit reference agencies also use the electoral register as a check when assessing credit applications. Therefore, if people are not on the register, their ability to access credit may be affected.

Anyone with queries about the form, can phone the Lanarkshire Electoral Registration office on 0800 030 4333.

The canvass will run from early August to mid-November and the revised register, which includes the names of all eligible electors who responded to the canvass, will be published on Thursday 1 December 2022.