Registering to Vote

The electoral register is the list of everyone who is entitled to vote. It is updated every year using the details from the registration form you receive each autumn from your Electoral Registration Office.

 

Now there's also a rolling registration which is updated every month. So, if you've moved or have been missed off the register, you can get your new details put on to the local register much quicker.

 

There has been a change to the law surrounding the electoral register this year. Until now, any organisation or person could purchase a copy of the register but the Government has changed this law so that now each person on the form can decide who can buy his or her details.

 

Under the changes in law there are to be two versions of the electoral register, a full version and an edited version. The full register has the names and addresses of everyone registered to vote and is updated every month.

 

By law, everyone who is a British, Commonwealth, Irish or European Union citizen must be included on the full electoral register. Anyone can look at the full register but copies can only be supplied for certain purposes such as elections and law enforcement. Credit reference agencies are also allowed to use the register but only to check names and addresses of those applying for credit.