Changes to Voter Registration

A voter registration form should have dropped on your doorstep recently and it's time to return it!

But before you complete it, you may be interested in a recent High Court Judgement, which has resulted in a change to the law concerning the sales of electoral register and data.

Until recently, any organization or individual could buy a copy of the register. But now electors have some choice about who can buy details of their name and address.

Under the changes, there will be two versions of the register produced, a full version and an edited version.

Electors have no choice about their details appearing in the full register, but copies of this are only available for certain purposes, such as elections and law enforcement.

If anyone who has a copy of the full register passes on information from it, they will be committing a criminal offence.

However, when electors fill in their electoral canvass registration form, they will be able to choose whether they want their details included in the edited register.

The edited register can be bought by any person, company or organisation and may be used for different purposes, including commercial activities such as marketing.

If electors do not wish to appear in the edited register, they should tick the box on the voter registration form. A separate box must be ticked for each named person on the form who do not wish to appear in the edited register.

So, make your choice, complete your form and return. Please remember, it is an offence not to give accurate information or return your form.