Guide to the electoral register

The electoral register lists the names and addresses of everyone who is registered to vote in a Council area.

The Electoral Registration Officer has a statutory duty to compile the register each year. 

The register is updated on a monthly basis.

Versions of the electoral register

There are two versions of the electoral register.

The full version includes the name and address of everyone who is registered to vote, except those who register to vote anonymously.

The open register, is an extract of the full electoral register. This version is available to anyone who wants to buy it, such as businesses or charities.

You can opt out of the open register when you register to vote. If you are already registered to vote and want to opt out, you will need to contact the Electoral Services team.

If you opt out of the open register, you’ll stay on the full electoral register and your right to vote will remain the same.

Checking whether you are on the electoral register

To check whether your details are already on the electoral register, please contact the Electoral Services team.

Who can use the full electoral register?

We use the register for electoral purposes, such as issuing poll cards.

Candidates, registered political parties and other registered campaigners are allowed copies of the full register for campaigning activities, including sending election communication to voters.

It is also used for:

• detecting crime
• calling people for jury service
• checking credit applications 

Credit agencies

Registered credit agencies can ask for a copy of the full register.

We cannot contact or deal with a credit agency on your behalf. We are able to confirm if you're registered or not in writing and tell you if a specific credit agency's been given a copy of the register.