Electoral Register accuracy

[martiny]

This may already be known to many but don't take electoral Registers as proof of someone being alive.

I had seen Electoral Registers quoted in the forum and today was looking at some on Ancestry.

In the Liverpool 1970 register I found a couple that died in 1945 and 1953 respectively. Be wary!

[MaryA]

It's good to be aware but I find that rather strange, are you sure there weren't perhaps a couple in the next generation of the same names?

[Bertieone]

This may already be known to many but don't take electoral Registers as proof of someone being alive.

I had seen Electoral Registers quoted in the forum and today was looking at some on Ancestry.

In the Liverpool 1970 register I found a couple that died in 1945 and 1953 respectively. Be wary!

At the same address?

If so, have you checked the years between for the same address?

[martiny]

Hi Bert

Sorry just seen your reply.

Yes at the same address, and yes in intervening years.

[MaryA]

If they are listed in intervening years, have you thought who listed them? I would seriously consider relatives of another generation, rather than a mistake of that magnitude.

[Bertieone]

It would mean a form was filled in on their behalf illegally each year after their demise.

"At present, the register is compiled by sending an annual canvas form to every house (a process introduced by Representation of the People Act 1918). A fine of up to £1,000 (level 3 on the Standard scale) can be imposed for giving false information. Up to 2001, the revised register was published on 15 February each year, based on a qualifying date of 10 October, and a draft register published on 28 November the previous year. From 2001 as a result of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, the annual 'revised' register is published on 1 December, although it is possible to update the register with new names each month between January and September."

[martiny]

Interesting, thanks Bert. I'll do some more digging.

[martiny]

It would mean a form was filled in on their behalf illegally each year after their demise.

"At present, the register is compiled by sending an annual canvas form to every house (a process introduced by Representation of the People Act 1918). A fine of up to £1,000 (level 3 on the Standard scale) can be imposed for giving false information. Up to 2001, the revised register was published on 15 February each year, based on a qualifying date of 10 October, and a draft register published on 28 November the previous year. From 2001 as a result of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, the annual 'revised' register is published on 1 December, although it is possible to update the register with new names each month between January and September."

The electoral register for Liverpool on Ancestry appears to be every 5 years.

The couple in question were dead, him in 1945, her in 1953, They both died at the same address as on the electoral register, which they are on until 1970.

[Bertieone]

Very odd, so whoever lived in the property after 1953 never registered to vote, did the next door neighbours change?

[martiny]

Ah now you may have hit the nail on the head there!

Their son lived in the house until his death in 1994, so quite possibly he didn't register to vote. The Liverpool electoral registers on ancestry only run to 1970, so the son isn't on there at all.