Electoral Registers & Poll Books

This category contains the official annual lists of individuals who were entitled to vote in parliamentary and local government elections. Published every year since 1832 (with some gaps), they are an invaluable resource for tracing the location of adult ancestors between census years. They provide a year-by-year record of a person's residence, often including details of their property or tenancy. Key things to remember: The list of eligible voters changed dramatically over time. Initially, voting was restricted to men with a certain amount of property. The franchise was gradually extended by the Reform Acts of 1832, 1867, and 1884. Women over 30 who met property qualifications were first included in 1918, and equal suffrage with men was achieved in 1928. Records in this category include: Electoral Registers / Voters' Rolls: The primary document, listing all registered voters within a specific polling district or parliamentary constituency. Absent Voters' Lists: Special lists created during and after World War I, listing servicemen who were away from home. These are particularly useful as they often include the serviceman's regiment and service number. Burgess Rolls: In some boroughs, these lists recorded those who had the "freedom of the borough" and were therefore eligible to vote in local elections. Typical Information Found: Full name of the registered voter. Address of qualifying property. Description of the property (e.g., "house," "land," "farm"). Nature of the qualification to vote (e.g., "occupier," "owner," "lodger").