electoral registers

[double07]

Hi

Could someone help me make sense of the electoral register transcriptions on findmypast. Take the following:

Year: 2003-14
Electoral rolls: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

Why does it say 2003-2014 and yet the only rolls only go up to 2007? Does the document only demonstrate residence up to 2007?

Thanks

[carol8353]

Hello there and welcome to Rootschat.

Since 2003 in the UK we have had the chance to opt out of the edited register,lots of us do not wish to have our names and addresses out there in the public domain or to be sold on lists to junk mail type companies.

So quite often you will find that the person is still at the address where they were in 2006/7.

Carol

[double07]

Thanks for the reply Carol. Do you know, though, what the significance of the 'Year' section is? Some might have, 'Year: 2002-03; Electoral rolls: 2002, 2003', and the others like the one I posted, 'Year: 2003-14; Electoral rolls: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007'. Is the 'Year' section of any help in determining residence or is it just the 'Electoral rolls' data part which is significant in that respect?

Carl

[dawnsh]

Hi Carl

The whole collection is UK Electoral Registers 2002-2014

My father is there as this

Year    2002-05
Electoral rolls    2002, 2003, 2004, 2005

and then he moved and is now shown as

Year    2005-07
Electoral rolls    2005, 2006, 2007

but he is still there, maybe the fact he opted out has finally caught up with him

as to your posting without having a name it is hard to determine what the scenario is but if you send me the name by personal message I'll have a look for you

Dawn

[carol8353]

We have lived in the same house for 32 years,and have opted out of the edited register.

My son is there in the years

2002-08

Electoral rolls    2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

He moved out in Feb 2009,and appears at his new address as..

2012

Record set    UK electoral registers 2002-2014

I bet he didn't bother filling it in in the years before that!

We both appear as....

2002-08

Electoral rolls    2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

[double07]

Thanks, but I still don't get the significance of the year extending beyond the rolls. In your example, they both tally. Am I missing something?

Carl

[dawnsh]

Hi Carl

There isn't any data prior to 2002 because that's all FindMyPast have available to them.

The latest possible data they have includes 2014.

The data should only show people who have not opted out of the electoral registers.

The person you seek (from pm) no longer lives there which is why his entry stops at 2007.

Other family members may not have left at the same time.

There is another person at that address now.

Dawn

[rosie99]

Is the 'Year' section of any help in determining residence or is it just the 'Electoral rolls' data part which is significant in that respect?

Hi Carl

Welcome to rootschat 

The year does not appear to have any significance in determining residence.  I opted out when it was first available my record reads Year 2002 - Electoral roll 2002.  I am still in the same property as I was in 1993.

I used to canvas for electoral registers and if a form was not returned despite repeat visits to collect it the local authority often left the previously named person showing on the register. In the case of rented properties where the landlord was responsible for the council tax the occupant could well have left and a new tenant be in residence. They are not a totally accurate source of residential information. Also you have to remember that they are compiled in October and published the following February so dates could be out.

Rosie

[double07]

Thanks everyone. You would think findmypast would have some kind of explanation for this. I'm sure other people must have got confused. It is a helpful resource, but as you say, Rosie, I'm realising it has to be treated with care.

Carl