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| Pictured: Coun Tony Wade, Stuart and Caroline Lawson, Vibha Collenette and Manjeet Lamba.
Photo courtesy Lancaster City Council |
Three people have picked up cheques totalling £350 – just for returning their electoral registration forms.
Earlier this year Lancaster City Council entered everyone who confirmed their details on the electoral register, or registered changes to their existing details, by 3rd September into a free prize draw.
Manjeet Lamba from Lancaster was the first name out of the hat and picked up a cheque for £200.
Yvonne Angus from Lancaster was second and Stuart Lawson from Cockerham third. They won £100 and £50 respectively.
“Registering to vote is vitally important,” feels Daphne Snelson, Lancaster City Council’s elections manager. “As well as not being able to vote, people who are not on the Register of Electors could find their credit rating is affected, meaning that they may be unable to get a bank account, a mortgage, a credit card or sign up for a mobile phone.
“By offering an incentive to people to return their forms on time we hope to ease the burden on our canvassing team and, ultimately, reduce the cost of the annual canvass.”
Annual canvass registration forms were sent out to all households in the district during August and canvassing staff have been out visiting the homes of those households that haven’t replied.
The aim of the competition was to ease the burden on the canvassers and, ultimately, reduce the cost of the annual canvass.
• The revised Register of Electors will be published on 1st December 2010