GENBRIT-L Archives

Archiver > GENBRIT > 2001-04 > 0986187825


From: "JimHS" <>
Subject: Electoral Register (was Re: Privacy and sensitivity (was web-pages))
Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2001 01:03:45 -0400
References: <6_aw6.104813$lj4.3016107@news6.giganews.com>, <99scom$mgr$1@wanadoo.fr>, <km4fct8mv7el5tbpvjpob6hh0s3175s9ge@news.ukonline.co.uk>



"Dave Mayall" <> wrote in message
news:...
> On Wed, 28 Mar 2001 12:03:49 +0200, "Barry and Iris McCanna"
> <> wrote:
>
> >
> >"JimHS" <> wrote in message
> >news:6_aw6.104813$...
> >
> ><big snip>
> >
> >> Of course, these people are shown on the electoral roll, but a person
has
> >to
> >> be very special to be excluded from that. All electoral rolls are
freely
> >> accessible within the area that a person is registered to vote -
provided
> >> that they are either old enough or approaching the age to vote. In
such
> >> cases, though, you have to have some idea of the area in which they
live.
> >>
> >
> >It all depends what you mean by "freely accessible". Local Authorities
do
> >have the discretion to sell copies of their registers but if they decide
to
> >do so, the cost involved is normally prohibitive to other than commercial
> >organisations.
>
> Local Authorities have no such discretion.
>
> They are obliged, by law to make the information available to anybody
> who wants to buy it.

A small but significant correction seems to be called for.

This 'discretion' does exist, but local authorities (i.e. registration
officers) do not determine it, it is governed by law.
Section 9 of the Representation of the People Act 2000 (RPA) deals with the
supply of information contained in the electoral register.
These are the facts:

There are two (copy) versions of the electoral register; a full one, and an
edited one.
The edited copy omits "the names and addresses of those who have been asked
to be excluded from it".

The RPA authorizes or requires a registration officer to make information
from the electoral register in these two ways:
" (a) to supply to such persons as may be prescribed copies of the full
register and other documents, or prescribed parts of them, whether free of
charge or on payment of a prescribed fee;
(b) to supply to any persons copies of the edited register, or any
prescribed part of it, on payment of a prescribed fee."

"Prescribed people" includes candidates or their election agents (who get a
copy free). It doesn't include everyone on the register.

Anyone may view a copy of the full register.
Only the electoral officer may make copies of the full register, and then
only to prevent damage etc. to the original because it is a legal document.
Those who are entitled to obtain a copy of the full register may find that
they don't have to pay for it, and nobody who has access to a copy of the
full register is allowed to copy it.

So there is a difference between 'making accessible' and 'selling', and not
everyone is entitled by law to buy a copy of the full register. A copy
which you might buy is practically guaranteed to be an extract of the full
register.
--
JimHS
-----
My email account is at rfci dot net, addressed to jims




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