The Electoral Register and Open Register

When you register to vote, your name goes on the electoral register, which is a list of people who are eligible to vote.

Full electoral register

The full electoral register has the names and addresses of everyone registered to vote. It can’t be sold to anyone.

Your details would only be used for electoral purposes or supplied to:

  • prevent and detect crime
  • call you for jury service
  • check applications for loans or credit
  • political parties and candidates to aid their election campaigns.

The full electoral register is not provided to other local authorities. Therefore, if you’ve moved home, you will also need to contact the other council departments to inform them.

Open Register

The open register is a version of the electoral register which can be bought by any person, company or organisation and we are legally required to provide this information.

Your name and address is included in the register, unless you ask for them to be removed.

Remove your details from the Open Register

To opt-out of the open register simply tick the appropriate box on the form when you register to vote.

If you are already registered you can opt-out by emailing elections@southandvale.gov.uk.

Request a copy of the Open Register

If you wish to buy a copy of the open register please email elections@southandvale.gov.uk.

How do I view the Register?

This service has been temporarily suspended as the council office is closed due Covid 19 restrictions.

The Register can be viewed at our offices between 8.30am and 5pm Monday to Thursday, and 8.30am to 4.30pm on Fridays.  Please call the elections team on 01235 422528 to request to view the Register and make an appointment – you will be asked whether you wish to view the open or the full register and we will make an appointment for you.

Viewing of the full register is required by law to be under supervision and so for that purpose we offer 15 minute slots, and we can offer up to four slots per person, per day.  You will be asked to complete a register viewing request form on arrival.

Viewing of the open register does not require supervision and appointments can be unlimited in length however we do need advance notification to arrange for the necessary open register to be prepared. 

If you call into the offices without an appointment, it may not be convenient for a member of the team to see you.

Regulations in respect of viewing the Register of Electors

 In accordance with the Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001 (as amended): 

  • The Register of Electors is open to public inspection under supervision and contains the names of all those registered to vote in a certain area.
  • Information from the Register may be recorded only by making minimal hand written notes. Photocopying or electronic recording are not permitted by law.
  • Information taken from the Register must not be used for direct marketing purposes (as per Section 11(3) of the Data Protection Act 1998), unless the information has also been published in the Open version of the Register of Electors
  • Under the Regulations referred to above, anyone who fails to observe these conditions is committing a criminal offence. The penalty is a fine of up to level 5 (£5000 as of 2010).

Privacy Notice

Read our data protection information to see what we do with your personal information..

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