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Anxiety about electoral roll access

AutToFindOutMore

With various elections coming up, I have noticed political leaflets from a range of political parties who are standing for election in the local area, have been put through my letter box, some them other are just ordinary political leaflets but some have my name and address on them.

In the past I have had political leaflets with the name of the previous occupant of the flat (long after she left) and political leaflets for a neighbour misdelivered to my address rather than his (if political leaflets addressed to him have been put through my letter box could political leaflets addressed to me have been put through other people's letterboxes? - a stressful thought).

As a floating voter, I am interested in reading what policies the political parties have but I can't see why they should have access to the electoral roll in order to send political leaflets to people, why can't they just send leaflets out in the same way as other advertising flyers. Would people want for example an extreme political party which they didn't like or were frightened of to have their name and address?

Someone has put up a petition about this on the UK government petitions website.

"Require voter consent for political parties to access electoral register data":


https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/764490

  • The electoral register doesn't say how you vote or whether you are a member of any party. It is just a list of who is eligible to vote.

    Having stuff mailed or put through your door does not show any allegiance. Normally volunteers put stuff through the door because post is too expensive.

  • in reply to AutToFindOutMore
    AutToFindOutMore said:
    campaigning activities (for example, candidates and political parties sending election communications to voters, surveying opinions or fundraising)

    Ooh right, so even if you opt out of the open one, any political party can still access your details and send you unwanted post? 

  • in reply to Cinnabar_wing

    There is the full electoral register and an open electoral register (This is the version of the register that’s available to anyone who wants to buy a copy. People can opt out of appearing in the open electoral register), but you can't opt out of being on the full electoral register.

    The full version of the register can only be used for:

    electoral administration purposes (such as sending out poll cards before elections)
    campaigning activities (for example, candidates and political parties sending election communications to voters, surveying opinions or fundraising)
    preventing and detecting crime
    checking applications for loans or credit
    jury summoning in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

    https://www.gov.uk/electoral-register/opt-out-of-the-open-register

    You must register to vote if an electoral registration officer asks you to do so and you meet the conditions for registering.

    If you’re asked to register and do not, you could be fined up to £1,000.

  • I think there are two electoral roles, one is public and one is private. I used to always just go on the private one, but then annoyingly, credit agencies use the public one, so to get a better credit score, I had to go back on the public one. 

    I'm not so keen on all the flyers either, I've just recycled them, I'd rather find the info myself anyway! But I agree, I prefer it when they are general than when they come in an envelope with your name on it -post is stressful, and more so when it's something you don't want to look at!

  • Anyone can access the Electoral Roll. You can elect to be removed from it.