Why Register to Vote?
Members of Parliament and local Councillors represent you. They are elected to make decisions on a national and local level. These decisions have an impact on our lives, so make sure you have your right to vote by keeping the register up to date. If you don't register we assume that you don't live there and you could lose your right to vote.
It's also worth knowing that credit card and loan companies check to see if your name is on the Register of Electors. If you are not registered, you may not be able to open a bank account, get a credit card, mortgage or any other form of credit, loan or contract.
The Register
The Council keeps a Register of Electors. This is a list of everyone who is registered to vote in Gateshead. You must be on the register to be eligible to vote at elections and not being on the register could affect your credit rating.
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You are not automatically registered even if you are registered for Council Tax;
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If you move house and don't inform us your details on the register will not be updated.
There are two versions of the register - the full version and the edited version.
Your details will appear on the full version of the register, but you can choose whether or not your details appear on the edited register by ticking the 'opt out' box on your registration form.
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The full register is used for elections, preventing and detecting crime, and checking applications for credit;
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The edited register is available for general sale and can be used for commercial activities such as marketing.