Dear list,

A big thank you to all those who responded to my enquiry about electoral registers that are less than 10 years old. Please accept my apologies for the delay in responding to you and also for not responding to individuals who have so helpfully responded.

A good source of information and advice about managing electoral registration, access etc. can be found on the Electoral Commission's website http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance/resources-for-electoral-administrators/electoral-registration#Electoral%20registration%20guidance%20manual

Below is information I have obtained from the Electoral Commission's website and advice from other archive/record professionals.

Since 2002, two series of electoral registers have been published: the full registers and edited registers.

 “Managing electoral registration in Great Britain Guidance for Electoral Registration Officers” http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/guidance/resources-for-electoral-administrators/electoral-registration#Electoral%20registration%20guidance%20manual See section “H- Access and Supply”

Full register

2.4 “The full register of electors lists the names and addresses of everyone

who has registered to vote as ordinary electors. It also contains the names of

those registered as special category electors, except in the case of those

registered anonymously, in which case it includes only an entry, without

showing their names or addresses”

Edited register

2.12 “This is a version of the register that is available for general sale and can

be used for any purpose, e.g. commercial activities such as marketing. Electors

can choose not to appear on the edited version of the register, and the canvass

form and rolling registration application forms contain a tick box for this

purpose.”

Full registers and copying

Guidance regarding access to full and edited registers is also addressed in  “Managing electoral registration in Great Britain”……”Section H”.  According to this guide, people consulting the full registers must be supervised (it is a legal requirement) and this is largely to deter large scale copying of the registers.  Handwritten note taking is permitted, but electronic copying by any means is prohibited “It is an offence to make copies of the full register, other than by handwritten notes” “Managing electoral registration in Great Britain,,,,Section H. 3:3”

Edited registers

“There are no restrictions on access to the edited register. No supervision is required and so it may be made available for public inspection at any place

the Electoral Registration Officer sees fit”. “Managing electoral registration in Great Britain,,,,Section A. 3:7”

Copying registers

This is the official line and local authority electoral services interpret the legislation as they see fit. For example, the law is silent about the electronic copying of electoral registers.  While some local authorities permit edited registers to be copied, others do not

According to a Deputy Electoral Services Manager "there is no legal restriction on access to the edited register and the law is silent, on whether it can be copied, but it is specific about the charges for it to be sold". "Therefore there is an argument to say that the intent of the law was that electronic / photocopies can be provided ONLY upon payment of the statutory fee. Ultimately it (the edited register) belongs to the Electoral Registration Officer and they can set their own rules within the legislation; thus practice differs" A Records Policy Manager commented "my understanding is the Edited register can be bought and used for any purpose. Electronic copying should be permissible to the extent permitted by “fair use” terms under copyright. Check with your library service for detail – CILIP have produced guidance on fair use copying – "

Remote users and full registers

There are differences in the way this is practised.  The London Borough of Sutton Archives service in response to my jiscmail request commented that they only used to confirm or deny that someone was registered at a particular address but now they transfer these enquiries to their electoral services department. If a researcher asked archive staff the name(s) of the person(s) living at a particular address, archive staff would refuse to disclose the information and encourage the researchers to make a personal visit to the archives.  If the enquirer is unable to make a personal visit to the archives then they could ask a friend/relative/researcher to visit the archives and undertake the work for them. Following the advice of their electoral services, Sutton no longer permits visiting researchers to browse the full electoral registers “so everyone who comes in is asked if they have an address. (see below).  The ER office accepts that they are likely to see a few pages in looking at one road.” At Lambeth Archives edited registers are kept on the open shelves and full registers in the strong room. Researchers may order the full registers and browse them in the invigilated reading room.

Full registers and copies for civil and legal disputes

Further advice would need to be obtained from your electoral services department or Electoral Commission regarding the copying of full registers for civil and legal disputes.  The edited registers could be checked first as this could provide sufficient enough evidence.  However, there may be other occupiers living at the property who are omitted from the edited register or both registers.

  I hope this is useful.

Regards,

Zoe Darani