Electoral Services

The Electoral Services team is responsible for:

• putting together, and publishing, the electoral register for Middlesbrough
• updating the register during the year using information from the annual canvass, and new voter registrations
• holding the absent voter lists (for example, people who vote by post or by proxy)
• organising local elections (for ward councillors, parish councillors, and the mayor), national elections (for members of parliament), Police and Crime Commissioner elections, and referendums (for example, for neighbourhood planning)
• reviewing parish areas and electoral arrangements, and taking part in boundary reviews which affect the town
• reviewing polling districts and polling stations, which can change where you vote

The electoral register

The electoral register isn't a static document, it changes throughout the year. From January to September, we update the register. We add the names of new voters, remove the names of voters who have died or moved away, and change names, for example, where voters have married.

The easiest way to check if you're on the register is to contact us, using the details below. You can also look at the register in the Reference Library at Central Library.

If you aren't on the register, or your details are wrong, contact us, using the details below.

If you move house, you'll need to let us know. You can register your change of address online, or you can contact us for a form.

Annual canvass

Every year, usually between July and September, we deliver a canvass form to every household in the town. The form is used to confirm who is living at the property, and to let us know about any changes.

You can respond to the canvass form by post, phone, text message, or online. More information is available on the canvass form.

Publication of Verification Number

Voters have the right to petition the council to hold a referendum on changing to a different form of governance. The petition must be signed by at least 5% of voters in the town. Every year, we use the electoral register to work out how much 5% of our voters is. This is called the Verification Number. Our electoral register changes every year, with voters being added and removed, so we have to update the Verification Number every year too.

The current Verification Number (February 2023) is 4885. The next one will be published in February 2024.

View the full publication of Verification Number (February 2023).

Contact

Electoral Services

Phone: 01642 729771
Email: elections@middlesbrough.gov.uk
Post: Electoral Services, Middlesbrough Council, PO Box 503, Town Hall, Middlesbrough, TS1 9FX
Office opening hours: 8:30am to 5pm (Monday to Thursday), 8:30am to 4pm (Friday)

View the Electoral Services privacy notice