Annual canvass reform proposals: consultation paper

Acknowledgements

This document sets out the revised model for the annual canvass which has been drawn up by the UK, Scottish and Welsh Government. The respective Governments have drawn on a productive working partnership with the Electoral Commission and representatives from the Association of Electoral Administrators and the Scottish Assessors’ Association in the development of these proposals. This partnership has allowed the proposed policy to be informed by a shared understanding of the issues with the current canvass processes and evidence that new approaches would be effective. We thank them for their work to date and their continued contribution to challenging the policy thinking of the three Governments.

The authors would like to thank:

• Tom Hawthorn (Head of Policy, Electoral Commission)
• Laura Lock (Deputy Chief Executive, Association of Electoral Administrators)
• Peter Stanyon (Chief Executive, Association of Electoral Administrators)
• Phil Thompson (Head of Research, Electoral Commission)
• Pete Wildman (Chair, Electoral Registration Committee, Scottish Assessors’ Association)

In 2016 and 2017, 24 Local Authorities and Valuation Joint Boards delivered pilots to test whether or not alternatives to the legislated annual canvass exist that are more efficient and at least as effective. We also would like to thank the Electoral Registration Officers and their staff who delivered the 2016 and 2017 pilots:

• Barrow-in-Furness
• Newcastle Upon Tyne
• Bath & North East Somerset
• Ryedale
• Birmingham
• Salford
• Blaenau Gwent
• South Holland
• Camden
• South Lakeland
• Coventry
• South Norfolk
• Derbyshire Dales
• South Oxfordshire
• Dumfries & Galloway
• Sunderland
• East Devon
• Torfaen
• City of Glasgow
• Vale of White Horse
• Hounslow
• Wakefield
• Luton
• Woking