Anybody get a letter regarding voter registration??

Not sure if this belongs in this sub, but I wasn't sure where else it would go (so apologies if this should be posted elsewhere).

Was just wondering if anybody has received a letter in the post recently about registering to vote? My husband and I have both received a letter from the local council this past week. He's a brit and had recently sent his papers through, but I'm not even sure how I ended up getting one?? I am only on an FLR-visa so have no entitlement to voting. I've emailed them to tell them as much (they like to let you know it's illegal to not be registered and therefore a crime, which made me feel uneasy even though I'm not doing anything wrong) and they've just replied asking for my nationality before they can respond further...I've since confirmed I'm American, but surely they should already have this type of information in whatever database they use??

Guess I'm just wondering if maybe a law has changed or I've gotten it completely wrong and I can actually register to vote?? Or is it still just that they made a mistake?

No, you can't register to vote. It's completely normal to get these letters, they send them every so often to encourage those who can register to register. I got letters before I was eligible too. Also, some immigrants can vote in some elections (e.g. some Commonwealth citizens, European citizens), so just not being British isn't necessarily an impediment. In your case if you are American this doesn't apply to you and you can't vote at all, so just ignore the letters.

No, you can't register to vote. It's completely normal to get these letters, they send them every so often to encourage those who can register to register. I got letters before I was eligible too. Also, some immigrants can vote in some elections (e.g. some Commonwealth citizens, European citizens), so just not being British isn't necessarily an impediment. In your case if you are American this doesn't apply to you and you can't vote at all, so just ignore the letters.

Ah, right thank you! this was the first time in 3 years that I've actually received this letter so I was really confused as to whether or not a law had changed or what and I didn't want to be getting in trouble legally for *not* registering if it had and I just wasn't aware. (I don't always keep up with law changes for us expats unless I'm actively looking at something specific like a visa renewal)

Voting is optional, as is registering to vote, but there have been changes in the voter registration procedures and electoral rolls recently, so more letters have been going out. Nothing to worry about

Voting is optional, as is registering to vote, but there have been changes in the voter registration procedures and electoral rolls recently, so more letters have been going out. Nothing to worry about

Ah brilliant! Thanks again for your reply!

Just heard back from the council as well and they have removed me from the list in future, so huzzah! sorted! Guess the lesson for anybody receiving them that hadn't received them before is "definitely don't worry, you didn't miss any memo!" haha