What is it?

The Electoral Register is a list of everyone who is eligible to vote within Forest Heath and is published every year on the 1st December.  

Who is eligible to vote?

To vote you have to be 18 or over, a British citizen or a citizen of another Commonwealth country or the Republic of Ireland. At certain elections (including European, Parliamentary and Local Government elections) citizens of other European Union countries can also vote. But in all cases you can only vote if your name is included on the Register of Electors.

List of Commonwealth countries, British Overseas Territories, and EU states.

Special Category Electors:

Special provision is made to enable certain groups to register to vote even though they may live or work overseas or have no permanent address at which to register. These are known as special category electors.

Versions of the Electoral Register:

The Electoral Registration Officer compiles and maintains two versions of the electoral register – the full version and an edited version.

The full register:

The full register lists everyone who is entitled to vote. Only certain people and organisations can have copies of the full register, and they can only use it for specified purposes. These include electoral purposes, the prevention and detection of crime and checking your identity when you have applied for credit. The law says who can have copies of the full register and what they can use it for. The full list of such persons is given in the Representation of the People (England and Wales)(Amendment) Regulations 2002. It is a criminal offence for them to pass it on to anyone else or to use it for any other purpose.

The edited register:

The edited version leaves out the names and addresses of people who have asked to be excluded from it. It can be bought by anyone and used for any purpose. For example, direct mailing companies can use it to send you information about goods and services. 

How can I view the register?

The full register can be viewed at the Council Offices in Mildenhall but only under supervision, and you may only make hand written notes.

The edited register can be bought by anyone who asks for a copy. A copy of the edited register is also available for inspection at the information desk at the Council Offices in Mildenhall, Newmarket and Brandon.

Buying copies of the electoral register:

The following fees and charges (specified in the Representation of the People Regulation 2001) apply to anyone entitled to buy a copy of the electoral register.

Fees for the sale of the Edited Register (Regulation 110(2))

Data on disk: £20 plus £1.50 per thousand entries (or part)

Printed copy: £10 plus £5 per thousand entries (or part)

Fees for the sale of the Full Register (Regulation 111(5))

Data on disk: £20 plus £1.50 per thousand entries (or part)

Printed copy: £10 plus £5 per thousand entries (or part)

Fees for the sale of the list of Overseas Electors (Regulation 111(6)

Data on disk: £20 plus £1.50 per thousand entries (or part)

Printed copy: £10 plus £5 per thousand entries (or part)

Postage is calculated as per weight of Registers and this will be added to the final calculation.

Please note:

Registers are only dispatched on receipt of payment.

Cash and cheques are acceptable methods of payment. If you are paying by cheque, please make cheques payable to Forest Heath District Council

If you wish to purchase any of these registers, please contact the Electoral Services Section on 01638 719366 or you can email us.