Register of Electors

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Last revised: 25 September 2008

Your vote counts

What is the Register of Electors

The Register of Electors (sometimes called the Voters’ Roll) is a list of persons eligible to vote in elections held within the District.

It is compiled by the Electoral Registration Officer each year for the Council.

The Register is a public document, but can only be inspected at the Council Offices (now located at Electoral Services, Monkton Park,Chippenham, Wiltshire, SN15 1ER. Phone: 01249 706596, Fax: 01249 463481, E-mail: elections@northwilts.gov.u

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under the supervision of one of the Electoral Registration Officer’s staff. Libraries can request to hold the Register, but none in Kennet currently do.

There are 2 Registers published - a Full Register used for voting and certain specified purposes, and an Edited Register available for general sale. You can opt out of the Edited Register. If you opt out the Council will not sell your details for purposes which are not specified in law.

How is the Register of Electors compiled?

Each year, during late August and early September, the Council sends a Register of Electors form to every household in the District.

This is a household form that should be completed and returned giving the details of all the adults who will be living at the property on 15th October. Households where there has been no change to the names previously registered may be able to re-register by phone or internet by folowing instructions on the form

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The Registers compiled from the returned forms are published by 1st December.

Between 1st December and 1st September the following year, the Register is amended by a series of monthly updates, so that you can apply to go on the Register at any time. This is called Rolling Registration. Applications to go on the Register through the monthly updates are on individual, rather than household, forms.

Both household and individual application forms give applicants the opportunity to “opt out” of the edited register, which prevents the Council selling their details for non-specified purposes.

Who has access to the Register of Electors?

The Register of Electors is a public document and can be inspected at the Council Offices under the supervision of one of the Electoral Registration Officer’s staff. The public copy of the Register is only available to view in paper format, and in address order. The register can also be viewed at the British Library and from December 2006 it will be available at the Scottish and Welsh National Libraries, and the Wiltshire County Records Office.

The Council is required by law to provide the full version of the Register to political parties, law enforcement agencies and credit reference agencies. The purposes for which those bodies can use the information in the Register are restricted by law.

Any person, charity or commercial organisation can purchase a copy of the Edited Register, and can use the information in the edited register for any purpose.

You can view further information and guidance about access to the register by downloading the attached file. - Opt out (pdf, 112 KB)

Why should I bother to Register?

All households are required by law to complete and return the Electoral Registration form which is delivered each year between August and October. Failure to do so carries a maximum fine of £1,000.

However, also remember that:

You cannot vote in any election unless you are registered.

Credit Reference agencies are entitled to purchase the Full Electoral Register which is then used as one of the checks when you apply for a wide variety of credit arrangements, such as mortgages, bank loans, mobile phone contracts and mail order catalogues. If you are not registered to vote this can very often result in your credit application being turned down.

The government uses the Electoral Roll to help to assess how much grant money they should give to the Council. This means that the more people who are listed, the more money the council receives to pay for services.