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Electoral Registers

Date updated: 8/01/2024

1. About this Guide

This guide explains how to find individuals in London and Middlesex who were able to vote in elections.

London Metropolitan Archives (LMA) holds electoral registers, overseers' returns of electors and poll books for the London and Middlesex areas.

It is important to remember that these records only contain the names of those eligible to vote. It was not until 1928 that all men and women over 21 had the right to vote.

Some records in this guide are available on Ancestry.co.uk. A subscription is required to access Ancestry.co.uk at home but free access is provided at LMA and many other archives and local libraries.

2. Type of Records

2.1. Electoral Registers

Electoral registers, which began in 1832, are lists of voters able to vote in parliamentary and local government elections. They are arranged by constituency and then polling districts. 

There are three dates associated with each register:

  • the qualifying date
  • the date when the register comes into force
  • the date on which the register is replaced.

The qualifying date is the most important because it establishes residence on a particular date. From 1832 the qualifying date was normally June/July with the register coming into force at the end of that year. From 1950 the qualifying date became October/November with the register coming into force in the following February/March. 

Between 1919 and 1926, there was an additional 'Spring' register. The qualifying date for this register was 15 January with the register coming into force on 15 April.

To find a register in the LMA Collections Catalogue, please search for the name of the constituency followed by the words 'electoral register'. 

Here are the main series for each county:

2.2. Overseers' Returns of Electors

Parish overseers used returns of electors to prepare electoral registers. These returns are arranged in annual bundles by polling district. The names of electors are listed alphabetically within each parish.

LMA holds overseers' returns for Middlesex, 1847-1882 (MR/PEO).

2.3. Poll Books

Poll books are lists of voters at a given election, usually accompanied by details of the residence and occupation of the voter, and also indications of which candidates they voted for.

LMA holds poll books for Middlesex (MR/P/P) and Westminster (WR/P/P)

3. Online Records

Many records can be searched on Ancestry.co.uk:

4. Tracing an individual

For the period up to 1965, please begin by searching the records on Ancestry.co.uk by name or address.

If you are unable to find someone on Ancestry.co.uk, you will need to go through the records at LMA. To order the correct register, you will need to establish which constituency they may have lived it. Constituencies (otherwise known as parliamentary boroughs or divisions) are given in the following sources available in the LMA public rooms:

  • Names of Streets and Places in the Administrative County of London variously published in 1901, 1912, 1929, 1955
  • Gazetteer of Middlesex: Index of Streets, Postal Districts and Constituencies, 1955
  • Lists of electoral divisions for Middlesex from 1832 (See binders 3 and 4 of the London Wide Elected Bodies catalogues) 
  • Map of Greater London Constituencies for GLC and Parliamentary Elections, 1973 (see Map Drawer 8)
  • Map of Parliamentary Divisions, from 'The authentic map directory of London and suburbs', 1936 (see Map Drawer 8)

Parliamentary boroughs or divisions are also often given in the 1861 to 1921 censuses. You can search by address on Findmypast (see Census Address Search).

5. Records held elsewhere

Further London electoral registers are held at The British Library and Guildhall Library:

 

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