SPECIAL CATEGORY ELECTORS

As well as ordinary electors, special provisions have been made for certain other categories of electors.  These are set out below:-

• Service Personnel

Servicemen and women have the option of either registering as "Service Voters", or as ordinary civilian voters. 

Whilst an application form is available from the Electoral Services Office at Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council, you can also obtain further information and an application form via the following link:-

www.army.mod.uk/servingsoldier/usefulinfo/register_to_vote.htm

As from January 2007, service voters' registration applications became valid for a three year period, rather than having to be renewed on an annual basis.  Service voters should therefore ensure that any address changes for postal ballot papers are kept up to date within that period. 

• Overseas Electors

British Citizens living overseas may preserve their right to vote in UK Parliamentary and European Parliamentary Elections for a 15 year period from their last registered entry in the UK.

For those qualifying electors who had their last UK registration address in Shrewsbury, you may obtain a Registration Application Forms from the Electoral Services Office at the Guildhall in Shrewsbury.

• Crown Servants/British Council Employees and their Spouses living Overseas

If you are working outside the UK as a Crown Servant or as an employee of the British Council, you can still register to vote.  You can also register if you are married to a Crown Servant or British Council employee and you are accompanying them during their employment abroad.

Qualifying electors may obtain Application Forms from their place of work, or from Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council's Electoral Services Office.

• Persons with No Fixed Address

You can still register to vote even if you do not have a fixed address. This may be because you are:

• a patient in a mental health hospital;
• a homeless person; or
• a person remanded in custody.

To register, you need to fill in a form called a 'Declaration of Local Connection'.  You can get this form by contacting your Electoral Registration Office.

On this form you need to give an address where you would be living if it were not for your current situation, or an address where you have lived in the past.  If you are homeless, you can give details of where you spend a substantial part of your time.

• Anonymous Registration:

If your personal safety would be at risk from your name appearing on the Voters List, you may be able to register anonymously.  Whilst new rules were introduced in 2007 which will allow some people to register in this way, they are exceptionally strict and set out in law. 

To qualify, you will need either:

• a current court order or injunction which is for the protection of or benefit to either you or someone in your household; or

• a qualified person needs to support your application.  That person must be:
• The Chief Officer of Police of any police force in England and Wales;
• The Chief Constable of any police forcce in Scotland or the Police Service of Northern Ireland;
• The Director General of the Security Services or the Serious Organised Crime Agency; or
• A Director of Adult Social Services or Children's Services in England, a Director of Social Services in Wales or a Chief Social Work Officer in Scotland.

The qualifying officer does not have to be based in the same area as the applicant, but the attestation cannot be delegated to a more junior person within the organisation.

RENEWALS: 

With the exception of Service Voters which remain valid for three years, the other "special elector" categories require annual renewals to be completed, in order to remain registered.  These are sent to your last notified address up to three months before your current registration expires, to allow you time to complete and return your Form to us.  If we do not hear back from you we remove your name at the end of that period and write to you to explain why.

For Anonymous Registration, you should keep copies of court orders or a copy of attestations for subsequent applications, as these have to be submitted annually along with your renewal application.

GENERAL ENQUIRIES:

For application forms or any other queries regarding the electoral registration process, please contact the Electoral Services Office during office hours at the Guildhall on 01743 - 281145 or 281019.