Why are there two versions of the register?

With effect from 1 December 2002, the electoral registration officer makes and keeps two versions of the electoral register - the full register and the edited register.

The full register lists everyone who is entitled to vote. The law says who can have a copy of the full register and what they can use it for. This includes electoral purposes, the prevention and detection of crime and checking your identity when you have applied for credit. The full list of such persons and purposes 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 purposes.

The edited register leaves out the names and addresses of people who have asked for their names to be excluded from that version of the register. The edited register can be bought by anyone and they may use it for any purpose.