1943 Australian Electoral Roll

[Leanne.]

Electoral Roll records.
Just wondering how often they update the info?
Do you have to have to always update it yourself, or is it sometimes updated automatically if some one dies or moves to another country etc.

Just asking because I found a family member on the 1943 electoral roll but he wasn't in Australia at the time. He was a POW in Germany from 1941 - 1945

[muss]

Hi
In 1943 , same as today, unless someone gives the information to the elect office, the entry remains unchanged. 
In the War years and after you had to be on the roll to receive a Ration Book.

Muss

[tedscout]

This thread just reminded me - I'd better take my marriage certificate to the electrol office. 

[redmr2red]

How does one look up the Electoral Rolls for the 1940s, 1950s and 19602 in Australia?

Red

[majm]

Just asking because I found a family member on the 1943 electoral roll but he wasn't in Australia at the time. He was a POW in Germany from 1941 - 1945

He was eligible to vote. Sometime during the 1920s it became compulsory to enrol to vote. He was a serving member of our Defence Forces during a time of hostilities.  So the Electoral Commission did not remove his name.   All my rellies who were in the Defence Forces during WWII, are listed on the 1943 Electoral rolls at their various HOME addresses.  None of those serving actually resided at those addresses at that time .... (most were overseas !)  Obviously there would not be a separate roll for those who were no longer resident on Australian soil ... what electorate would that be 

During WWI when the two conscription referendums were conducted, the men on the Western Front were given the opportunity to vote.   While I am not sure how the polling clerks determined who was enrolled, I am quite sure that the polling clerks conducted that ballot with integrity, perhaps using nominal rolls.   What I am sure about is that those who were POW at that time were not able to vote.  It being simply impossible for "the Enemy" to co-operate with their "Enemy"...

Cheers,  JM

[majm]

How does one look up the Electoral Rolls for the 1940s, 1950s and 19602 in Australia?

Red

Ancestry has SOME of the ERs on their subscription site. FindMyPast does too.    Alternatively the historic ERs are often found in the Public Libraries of the Capital Cities.   So, for example, I am NSW Centric.  The NSW State Library in Macquarie Street Sydney has historic electoral rolls back to the 1800s for the NSW PARLIAMENT, and of course all of the NSW rolls since Federation.

They are in hardcopy format, so are polling place by polling place, within EACH electorate.   You need to know the electorate first, then you need to establish the polling place.  Then it is alpha by surname.

They are NOT lists of the names of people in a household.   They are ONLY rolls of British Subjects aged 21 years and over who have enrolled to vote in respect of a residential address.   When they move from that address it is my view that quite often they forgot to inform the Electoral Commission, so it can be that you can find TWO addresses for the same people at the same time.

In NSW in the 1800s the rolls were often prepared by Police Magistrates.   It can be very interesting to look at ERs.  There's lots of social history to observe.

Cheers,  JM

[Billyblue]

How does one look up the Electoral Rolls for the 1940s, 1950s and 19602 in Australia?

Red

Don't forget that until relatively recently, and certainly 1940-1960s, there were Commonwealth and State Electoral Rolls, which sometimes differed because of different voting dates.

some of the Rolls for the period have been, or are in the process of being, indexed by various FH societies.  Plus Archive CD Books has released some digitised on CD, though mostly for times before WW2.  AIGS & GSV probably have them.

Dawn M

[cando]

Electoral Roll records.
Just wondering how often they update the info?
Do you have to have to always update it yourself, or is it sometimes updated automatically if some one dies or moves to another country etc.

Leanne I understand that the various State Registries notify the Australian Electoral Commission when processing death registrations.

Cheers 
Cando

Cando

[tedscout]

Leanne I understand that the various State Registries notify the Australian Electoral Commission when processing death registrations.

Cheers 
Cando

Cando

Cando, That didn't happen about 6 years ago when my friend's husband died. She only realized she had to take his death cert to the electoral office when he got fined for not voting.