Register and how to vote

Every ballot paper has a unique serial number and by law, a record is kept of every serial number issued to each voter. The copy of the register used in the polling station is already marked to show who has a postal or proxy vote. The poll clerk on duty will put a small mark against your name to show you have voted and to make sure that nobody tries to vote at the station pretending to be you.

At the close of poll, documents which list the serial numbers of the ballot papers and who they have been issued to are sealed in special packets and cannot be opened without a court order. This enables checks should a legal challenge be made to the result of the election.

It is very rare for the documents to be examined except in cases where fraud or impersonation (i.e someone voting illegally on someone else's behalf) are being investigated. Because of these safeguards, it is virtually impossible for any person to be in a position to match the voter to a particular ballot paper. For that reason, voters can be confident that the ballot remains secret.

Instead of using a household form to register to vote, everyone is responsible for their own registration.

IER has been introduced nationally to help tackle electoral fraud. The system also means that people can register online, making it easier for you to make sure you are registered.

You will be asked to provide identifying information such as a date of birth and your national insurance number. This means your application is verified before you are added to the register and reduces the risk of fraud and inaccurate entries on the register.

Once registered, you will receive a letter to let you know that either:

• you have been successfully transferred to the IER register and do not need to do anything further
• you need to provide additional information to the electoral registration officer in order to be registered under IER

If we cannot verify your application after you have provided your National Insurance number and date of birth, we will write to you requesting further information.

To verify who you are, you will be required to provide evidence of your identity such as a driving licence or passport. You do not have to send us original documents, photocopies are acceptable. Once we receive the evidence we can then process your application.

The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote in public elections. The register is used for making sure only eligible people can vote. It is also used for other limited purposes specified in law, such as detecting crime (e.g. fraud), calling people for jury service and checking credit applications.

It is a criminal offence for anyone to supply or use the register for anything else. 

The current full electoral register is available for inspection under supervision at our four main council offices:

• Trowbridge - County Hall, Trowbridge, BA14 8JN
• Devizes - Devizes Community Hub and Library, Sheep Street, Devizes, SN10 1DL
• Salisbury - The Council Offices, Bourne Hill, Salisbury, SP1 3UZ
• Chippenham - The Council Offices, Monkton Park, SN15 1ER

The open register is an extract of the electoral register but it is not used for elections. It can be bought by any person, company or organisation.  For example, it is used by businesses and charities to confirm name and address details.

You can find more  information about both registers and how they may be used  on the GOV.UK website.

Your name and address will be included in the open register unless you ask for them to be removed. You can remove your details at any time by contacting us. Please provide your name and address and state that you wish to be removed from the open register.

Email us: openregister@wiltshire.gov.uk

Call us on: 0300 456 0112

Write to us:
Electoral Registration Officer
Electoral Services
County Hall
Bythesea Road
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 8JN

If you would like to buy the open register or any part of it, please contact the Electoral Registration office on 0300 456 0112.

Rolling registration means you can register at any time of the year. The dates below show when your details will appear on the electoral register, subject to successful verification under the Individual Electronic Registration (IER) process. If you wish to register for a local election in your area, you can register up to 12 days before the poll.