Ribble Valley residents urged not to lose their right to vote

Sweeping changes to the way residents registered to vote were introduced last summer.

Previously, one person in every household was responsible for registering everyone who lived at their address.

But under the news system, called Individual Electoral Registration, or IER, each person is now required to register to vote individually, rather than by household.

Residents were automatically transferred from the old to the new register during a transition period.

But the transition period ends on December 1, after which residents who have not registered under IER will be removed.

Ribble Valley Council’s electoral and licensing officer, Jane Horsfield, said: “Ribble Valley residents have received letters and reminder letters outlining the new system in recent months, but some have still not registered.

“We are urging them to complete their online registration by December 1, or they will be removed from the register and until they register under IER will lose their right to vote.”

Further details are available from Ribble Valley Borough Council’s electoral registration team. Contact them by telephoning 01200 414411, or register online by visiting: www.visit gov.uk.