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Full and Edited Register

There are two versions of the register:

  • the full register; and
  • the edited register.

The full register

The full register includes the names of all those registered to vote in a local area and is used for electoral and other limited statutory purposes only, including credit referencing. It is supplied, free of charge to a variety of people including MP's, MEP's, Councillors, election candidates, local constituency officers of political parties, Nation HQ's of political parties and the Jury Summonsing Officer. These organisations and individuals receive it for limited purposes or face a fine of up to £5000 if they contravene the law.

The edited register

The edited register can be sold to anyone for any purpose and includes the names of all those who have not opted out of having their details included on it. You can choose to remove your details from the publicly available, edited register by ticking the section on the registration form headed "Edited Register". If you choose to opt out of the edited register this will only be in force for the duration of the register so you will have to make sure you tick this section on registration form every year remain off the edited register.

Minimising junk mail

The council cannot guarantee that this will stop all junk mail, however, as direct marketing companies build their databases from various sources and do not rely on the edited register alone.

You can register with the Mail Preference Service to minimise junk mail:

Mail Preference Service (MP's)
DMA House
70 Margaret Street
LondonW1W 8SS
Phone: 0845 703 4599.

Registering anonymously

There is a provision in law that enables people to register anonymously in certain circumstances. The council can send you further information and an application form if you have a safe correspondence address. Alternatively, you can come to the address below and ask to see someone in the Electoral Services Team.

Inspecting the full register

By law, the register is to be made available for anyone to look at. The register is available for inspection at:

Medway Archives and Local Studies Centre
Civic Centre
Strood
Rochester
Kent ME2 4AU

Tel: 01634 332714

Census information cannot be used to collate information for the electoral register.

You can only vote at elections if your name is listed in the Electoral Register. You have a democratic right to vote for your MEP, MP, Medway councillors and parish councillors and your vote can make a difference to the final outcome of an election.

You cannot obtain a student grant if you are not on the register and it is much harder to obtain credit.

Jury service

If you are 70 or older, you will not be called for jury service, which is why your date of birth must be included in the form. This information if for the jury summonsing officer only and will not appear on the electoral register when it is published.

 

All households are required by law to complete and return an Electoral Registration Form during the annual canvass each year. Those who do not could face a fine of up to £1,000.

 

For more information contact Electoral Services by telephone: 01634 332030 / Fax 01634 332416 or by email: electoralservices@medway.gov.uk

Write to: Electoral Services, Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TR

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