Eligible voters can send the town hall a text message to guarantee themselves a vote in any elections or referenda held next year.

With a referendum on proposed changes to the Parliamentary voting system, namely the introduction of a form of proportional representation scheduled for May 5, 2011, it is important that people who wish to have their say make sure their names are included on the electoral register.

People should not assume that they are automatically registered because they have voted before or because they pay council tax.

In order to make it as simple and convenient as possible, the council is offering residents a range of options to make sure their name appears on the register.  People can do this online, by telephone using a freephone number, by text message or by post.

To help them do this, individual household forms are now about to be delivered to every home in the borough.

People who wish to register by text message, over the internet or by freephone will need to use the individual reference number printed on their registration form. These three options are only available to people whose household details have not changed since the last canvass a year ago. Completed forms can also be returned via the post in the prepaid envelopes provided.

Households where the details have changed, or who prefer registering by post, need to complete and sign the form and then return it to the town hall. There is no need to use a stamp, but people must remember to sign the form.

By law households must provide these details – even if people living there have no intention of voting or are ineligible to vote

Registering promptly also avoids the need for electoral registration staff to call at people’s homes to chase up missing details. Town hall staff will next month begin visiting properties whose occupiers have not responded to the canvass. Avoiding these unnecessary visits will save council tax payers' money.

Head of electoral registration Neil Kennett said: "It is vitally important that people register correctly. It is simple and easy to do, and should not take more than a couple of minutes.

Registering by post, over the phone, online or by text message also means that you won’t have the inconvenience of someone calling at your door to chase up your details – and ultimately that will help keep council tax bills as low as possible."

For more information telephone (020) 8871 6023, email electoral@wandsworth.gov.uk or visit www.wandsworth.gov.uk/vote.

August 20, 2010