Voters' lists in libraries
Until 2003 it was standard practice for all libraries to hold copies of current local electoral registers, but this has changed as a result of legislation. Holdings now vary according to the differing policies adopted by the five district councils within Cambridgeshire.
- Separate registers are produced by district councils for each electoral division or ward within a parliamentary constituency.
- Registers are published in both edited and full versions.
- Inclusion in the full register is compulsory by law; inclusion in the edited version is optional.
- Full electoral registers are provided in local district council offices for public consultation
Availability of current electoral registers
None of the district councils provides full registers to the library service.
Cambridge City Council
- provide edited versions of their registers up to 2006 to the Cambridgeshire Collection in Central Library. For the current register please contact Cambridge City Council.
South Cambridgeshire District Council
- do not provide any registers to libraries. To view the register please contact South Cambridgeshire District Council.
Huntingdonshire District Council
- provide edited registers for the whole district to each of the three district libraries: Huntingdon, St Ives and St Neots. Other libraries in the district may hold the edited version of the register for their own parishes, and in some cases neighbouring parishes. For the current full register please contact Huntingdonshire District Council.
East Cambridgeshire District Council
- provide an edited version of their register in Ely Library. For the full register please contact East Cambridgeshire District Council.
Fenland District Council
-do not provide any registers to libraries. To view the register please contact Fenland District Council.
Using electoral registers in libraries
- Registers show the names of individuals living at each registered address, but these names are presented in order of street name and house number and not alphabetically by the surname.
- Personal callers can view the registers and make copies by means of handwritten notes only. Photocopying and scanning are not allowed, as this would infringe the council's copyright.
- Personal callers may use the registers only to confirm or deny that a specific individual lives at a specific address.
- Where customers contact the library by letter, email or telephone, library staff can confirm details of individuals living at a given address where a correct address and surname are given, but cannot give out lists of names or undertake speculative searches.
- Customers will be supervised at all times.
Historical electoral registers
Various historical electoral resources are held in our local studies collections - please click on the links for more details.