The Elections and Democratic Structures Committee of Doncaster Council was scheduled to meet on Tuesday, 10 February 2026, to discuss upcoming elections and registration activities. The meeting's agenda included updates on elections, registration processes, and the implications of recent legislative changes.

Elections Activity

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on current elections activity and any upcoming changes, by-elections, and Neighbourhood Planning Referendums. While Doncaster did not have any scheduled elections for 2026, the report highlighted that by-elections and Neighbourhood Planning Referendums can occur at short notice. The report detailed two upcoming by-elections for Thorne-Moorends Town Council and Hatfield Town Council, both scheduled for 12 February 2026. The Thorne Town ward by-election was uncontested, with one candidate automatically elected. For the Dunsville ward by-election, two candidates were standing for one vacancy. The report also noted the planned abolishment of Police and Crime Commissioners at the end of their current term in 2028, with governance functions transferring to Mayors of Strategic Authorities or elected council leaders.

Registration Activity

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to an update on the Register of Electors and the outcome of the Annual Canvass. The Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) is mandated to conduct a yearly review of the Electoral Register to ensure its accuracy and completeness. The report outlined the process of the Annual Canvass, which involves contacting all residential addresses. It detailed the three routes used for properties: Route 1 for matched properties with no expected change, Route 2 for unmatched properties requiring a response, and Route 3 for care homes and homes of multiple occupancy. The report provided figures for the completion of the Annual Canvass in 2025, indicating a response rate of 94.64%.

Furthermore, the committee was scheduled to discuss changes brought about by the Elections Act 2022 concerning postal vote re-applications. Previously, absent voters had to refresh their signature every five years, but this has now been reduced to three years. This change affects a large number of postal voters and requires them to reapply for their postal vote by 31 January 2026 if their current absent vote is older than three years. The report detailed the process of notifying voters and the number of reapplication forms received to date. The implications of paper versus online applications were also discussed, with online applications being significantly faster to process.

The meeting was scheduled to be held at the Council Chamber, Civic Office, Waterdale, Doncaster DN1 3BU. The committee members present were Councillor Nick Allen, Councillor Stephen Barnett, Councillor Joan Briggs, Councillor Gemma Cobby, Councillor Rob Dennis, Councillor Jackie Dudley (Deputy Civic Mayor), Councillor Chris Kidger, Councillor Majid Khan, Councillor Glyn Whiting, Councillor John Reed (Chair), and Councillor Kieran Lay (Vice-Chair).