Recent Developments
Important changes to the Electoral Register and how they affect YOU:
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Until now, any company, organisation or person could buy a copy of the register.
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The Government has now changed the law so that now you have some choice about who can buy details of your name and address.
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Under the changes there are two versions of the register: the full version and the edited version.
The full register has the names and addresses of everyone registered to vote and is updated every month. Anyone can look at it, but copies can only be supplied for certain purposes, such as elections and law enforcement. Credit reference agencies are also allowed to use the full register, but only to check if your name and address if you are applying for credit, and to help stop "money laundering". Anyone who has a copy of the register will be committing a criminal offence if they unlawfully pass on information from it. You do not have a choice about your name and address being on this register.
The edited register will be available for general sale and can be used for any purpose. You can choose not to be on it. It will be kept separate from the full register and updated every month. The edited register can be bought by any person, company or organisation and could be used for different purposes such as checking your identity and commercial activities such as marketing.
The choice you wish to make can be advised to the Registration Officer on the annual Canvass Form or on the individual Application to Register as a Voter.
