Shepton Mallet residents are being warned not to lose their voice on decisions that affect them by making sure their electoral registration details are up to date.

With important elections due to take place in the area in May 2022, this is a crucial opportunity for residents to make sure they can take part.

The annual canvass ensures that Mendip District Council can keep the electoral register up to date, identifying any residents who are not registered to vote so that they can be encouraged to do so.

Stuart Brown, the electoral registration officer at Mendip, said: "It's important that residents look out for messages from the district council, so we can make sure we have the right details on the electoral register for every address in the area.

"We will send you a form that you may need to respond to.

"Some households will get a form in the coming few weeks, but the majority will not get a form until around October. We'll send out additional reminders in the autumn.

"Whenever you receive it, make sure you are able to have your say at elections taking place next year, simply follow the instructions sent to you.

"As we carry out this important work to update the electoral register we will continue to follow public health guidelines, including respecting social distancing."

If you're not currently registered, your name will not appear in the messages Mendip send. If you want to register, the easiest way is online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote, or the council will send you information explaining how to do this in the post.

People who have moved recently are particularly encouraged to look out for the voter registration messages from Mendip District Council and check the details.

Research by the Electoral Commission, published in 2019, indicates that recent home movers are far less likely to be registered than those who have lived at the same address for a long time.

Melanie Davidson, head of support and improvement at the Electoral Commission, said: "It's really important that everyone who is entitled to vote is able to do so.

"Checking the messages that you will get from your local authority is the easiest way to see if you're registered to vote.

"If you're not, make sure you provide the necessary information to your local authority when it is needed and register to vote online at www.gov.uk/register-to-vote."

Information on registering to vote is available on the Electoral Commission website at www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter.

Any residents who have any questions can contact their local registration team at Mendip District Council 01749 341475 or 01749 341391. The email address is [email protected].