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 5 district councils within Cambridgeshire
- Separate registers are produced by District Councils for each electoral 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 in libraries
None of the district councils provides full registers to the library service
Cambridge City Council
provide edited versions of their register to the Cambridgeshire Collection in Milton Road Library South Cambridgeshire District Council
We regret that we cannot currently supply a copy of the register for South Cambridgeshire District Council
Huntingdonshire District Council
provides 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
East Cambridgeshire District Council provides an edited version of its register to Ely Library
Fenland District Council
does not provide any registers to libraries
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 only use the registers 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