Annual Canvass 2026
The Electoral Services Team is currently preparing the new Register of Electors, which will be used from 1 December 2026 to 30 November 2027.
From Friday 7 August 2026, we will be sending letters to all households in the city to help us identify all those entitled to register to vote.
What is the Annual Canvass?
Every year the Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) has a legal duty to contact all households in the city to ensure:
- all eligible residents are correctly registered at each address
- the electoral register is accurate and up to date
This is called the Annual Canvass.
We use the information we receive to update the electoral register by:
- inviting unregistered residents to apply to register
- updating existing elector details
- removing the names of people who no longer live at each property
Updates from the canvass will be included in the new register published on 1 December 2026.
How the annual canvass works
Data from the electoral register is matched with records from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and the results of that data matching will determine how you are contacted.
There are two possible routes:
- Route 1 - If all the people registered to vote at the property can be matched.
- Route 2 - If there are people at the property that cannot be matched.
Most properties will initially receive a canvass communication form delivered to their door.
The household canvass communication will not usually have a person's name in the address. This is because the person or people that we have registered may no longer live at the property and we don't want it to be re-directed. We therefore address it to 'The Resident' instead.
Route 1 - Canvass Communication A (CCA)
If all the residents' details are correct, you do not need to respond.
You only need to respond to the paper CCA if:
- your details are incorrect
- you wish to add or remove a person (16 or over) at your address.
For Route 1 properties, because electoral registration information is more likely to be already correct (because we've matched it with other data sources), we are going to try to reduce the number of paper forms we post out. Therefore in July, we are going to send an email to all route 1 properties to ask them to check their details online. If we have an email address for more than one person in a property, each person will receive the email, but only one person needs to respond. To check it is genuine, it will have the person's full name shown at the beginning of the email and it will be from sunderland.electoral.registration <[email protected]>. The email contains a link to https://www.householdresponse.com/sunderland, which is a service run by Civica Electoral Services on behalf of Sunderland City council. If you follow the link and complete all for steps, we will not need to send you a paper CCA. The closing date to respond to the email is 19 July 2026. Properties that respond after then will still be sent a paper CCA.
Route 2 - Canvass Communication B (CCB) or Canvass Form
You are legally required to respond, even if there are no changes to make. All properties in Route 2 will initially be sent a paper form to respond to. Some of those properties may be sent a reminder via email, similar to above.
Why have I received a postal vote application
Your canvass document may include an additional form(s). This is a postal vote application form for those electors whose postal vote is due to expire.
If there are people at the property who do not have a postal vote, or applied for a postal vote on, or after 31 January 2025, or have recently applied to renew their postal vote, they will not have a form enclosed.
Further Information about the Postal Vote renewal process can be found here
How to respond to the canvass form
The quickest and easiest way to respond is online. You'll need to enter the security codes printed on your form.
Go to www.householdresponse.com/sunderland
Enter Security code part 1 (6 digits) and Security code part 2 (8 digits) followed by your postcode. Follow the instructions on screen.
Other ways to respond:
- By phone - If there are no changes, call 0800 197 9871 and follow the instructions. You'll be asked to provide the security codes from your form.
- By text - If there are no changes, text NOCHANGE followed by your security codes to 80212.
- By post - Whether there are changes or not, you can complete the paper form and post it back to us.
Adding a name to the canvass form does not automatically register that person to vote.
If a new name is added:
That person can register themselves online at register to vote .
To register you need to fill in your name, address, date of birth and a few other details. You'll also need your national insurance number, which can be found on your national insurance card, or in official paperwork such as payslips, or letters about benefits or tax credits.
Look out for a confirmation to say you're registered.
If you need assistance contact our City and Neighbourhood team . We can complete your application over the phone.
