The National Archives
Search The National Archives
Advanced search
Photograph of suffragettes (Catalogue reference: (COPY 1/494)

This is a brief guide to researching records of historic electoral registers. The National Archives does not hold any complete collections of electoral registers. The British Library holds a complete set from 1947 onwards, and older electoral registers are held mostly by local archives.

  • What do I need to know before I start?

    • Try to find out:

      • the name of the person
      • a street address
      • a date range to focus your search

  • What records can I see online?

    • There are no historic electoral registers available online.

  • What records can I find at The National Archives at Kew?

    • There are no complete collections of electoral registers at The National Archives.

  • What records can I find in other archives and organisations?

  • What other resources will help me find information?

    • Read Parliamentary Constituencies and their Registers since 1832 by Richard H A Cheffins (British Library Publishing Division, 2000).

  • The National Archives is not responsible for the content of external websites.

Related guides

Did you know?

Electoral registers were introduced in 1832 and, with a few exceptions, have been produced annually ever since.
 
Older sets of electoral registers are most likely to be found in local archives.

When looking for a person on an electoral register, you will find their full name, their residence, and the property on which they qualify to vote (this is not always the same as residence).

There is no name index to non-current electoral registers, so it is vital to know the street of the person you are looking for.

Quick animated guides