Agenda item
Electoral Canvass 2020
- Meeting of General Purposes Committee, Tuesday, 8th December, 2020 5.30 p.m. (Item 4.3)
- View the background to item 4.3
Minutes:
Robert Curtis, Head of Elections introduced the report which detailed the revision of the Electoral Register published on 1st December 2020 and the implications of canvass reform introduced for the first time and implemented over a four-month cavass period between July to November 2020. It was noted that due to the COVID pandemic the canvass had to be slightly curtailed at the final stage, where previously, non-responding properties would have ordinarily received a personal visit from an electoral canvasser to ascertain those residents, this exercise did not take place following careful consideration by the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) as it was thought this exercise would compromise the safety or residents and also those recruited to carry out the exercise.
Members were taken through a detailed analysis of the three canvass reform routes that were now in place. It was noted that 141,720 residential properties had been canvassed and the following salient points were noted;
Route 1
· These are properties matched with Department of Work and Pensions (DWP)
· 89,135 properties matched and marked as no changes.
· The match rate was 62.9%
Route 2
· These are properties that did not match, and the data indicated that there may be a change in household composition.
· 42,980 properties did not match exactly and were sent Canvass Communication B (CCB) forms.
· Properties in route 2 must also receive a personal canvass if no response is received either by telephone or visit to the property by a electoral canvasser.
Route 3
· Only defined properties, identified as care homes and student accommodation buildings can go through this process.
· These properties were all contacted and a named responsible person ascertained who would be the contact for information required.
· 9,013 properties were identified as Route 3 and responsible persons allocated.
It was noted that for the first time local data matching was undertaken utilising the data held by the Council which also enabled the ERO to match individuals with the existing electoral register database;
In response to questions the following was noted;
- Clarification was sought about the possibility of registering to vote from two properties in two different boroughs, it was advised that they would need to justify living in both places equally.
- Concerns raised on whether there had been a significant difference in the electorate numbers for not going through the door knocking process, it was noted that this would be known following a meeting at the Cabinet Office in the new year and Members would be updated on this at the next GPC meeting.
- That officers would be working on a Communication Strategy explaining the different polls etc and details of this strategy would be brought to the next GPC meeting in February.
- It was further noted that following the additional flexibility given to ERO’s by the Government to allow an extension to publish the Electoral Register, an extension was considered not necessary and the register was published on time on 1 December 2020.
Accordingly, the General Purposes Committee
RESOLVED
1. To note the report.
Supporting documents: