The principal purpose of the Register is to provide a list of people able to vote at an election. It is also used to calculate the number of electors that must sign a petition requesting a Mayoral Referendum.

However, there are two versions of the register – the full and the edited.

The full register has the names and addresses of everyone registered to vote and is updated every month. Anyone can look at it (copies are held at the Civic Centre, Barnstaple and Community Offices in Ilfracombe and South Molton), but copies can only be supplied for certain purposes, such as elections and law enforcement. Credit reference agencies are also allowed to use the full register, but only to check your name and address if you are applying for credit, and to help stop ‘money laundering’. Anyone who has a copy of the register will be committing an offence if they unlawfully pass on information from it. You do not have a choice about your name being on this register.

The edited register will be available for general sale and can be used for any purpose. You can choose not to be on it. The edited register can be bought by any person, company or organisation and could be used for different purposes such as checking your identity and commercial activities such as marketing.

Purchasing the Edited Register of Electors

The Edited Register of Electors can be purchased from Room 308, Civic Centre, Barnstaple. The fee is currently £20.00 plus £1.50 per one thousand names or part thereof for a data version or £10.00 plus £5.00 per one thousand names for a printed version. A register for a particular Ward or Parish may be purchased.

The Register can also be purchased in full, but a written request must be provided. The Register can be supplied in different formats. Please contact us for further details.

Searching for someone on the Electoral Register

The only way to check that someone is on the register is by way of public inspection of the register at the places mentioned above. Whilst checking the register it should be noted that hand written notes only can be made. Photocopies or electronic recordings are not permitted by law. Information taken from this register should not be used for commercial purposes, unless the information has been published in the edited version of the register (this is also open for inspection, held at the Civic Centre, Barnstaple). Under the Representation of the People (Amendment) Regulations 2002, anyone who fails to observe these conditions is committing a CRIMINAL offence. The penalty is a fine up to level 5 (currently £5,000).

The only information given over the telephone is to electors themselves who are checking that they are registered. If a person requires proof that they are registered, then a confirmation letter can be provided, to the elector only, showing they are on the current register.