MORE than 80,000 residents have been written to by South Lakeland District Council about changes to the way everyone registers to vote.

The biggest change to the electoral registration system in nearly 100 years is set to come into force across the country.

The new system of registration is called Individual Electoral Registration (IER) and, as the name implies, each person will now be responsible for registering themsel

Letters will be arriving at homes in South Lakeland over this next week explaining whether householders need to do anything to make sure they are registered or whether they will automatically move onto the new register.

Around 92% of people currently registered to vote in South Lakeland, more than 75,500 people, will be automatically transferred to the new register and they will receive a confirmation letter.

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An SLDC spokesman said: “If any resident receives a confirmation letter and it states that ‘Your details will be on the open register’ this means that your details will appear on the version of the register that can be sold to anyone for any purpose.”

People can opt-out of the open register by emailing optout@southlakeland.gov.uk providing a name and registration address and contact telephone number in case something is unclear.@southlakeland.gov.uk>

Everyone’s name and address goes on the ‘full’ version of the electoral register. The full version of the register is only used for elections, preventing and detecting crime and checking applications for loans or credit.

Around 14,000 residents may need to take action to join the new register, even if they were registered in the past.

Debbie Storr, Electoral Registration Officer at SLDC, said: “South Lakeland residents need to look out for their letter so they know whether they have been automatically transferred to the new register or not.

“The letter will tell them what they need to do if they have not been automatically transferred and they should respond straight away to avoid receiving a reminder.”

For more information visit www.gov.uk/yourvotematters

If you do not receive a letter contact SLDC’s Electoral Services Team on 01539 733333 or email: elections@southlakeland.gov.uk.