*** UPDATED NOVEMBER 2017 ***
This page contains links to online resources and databases giving details of servicemen recorded as Absent Voters.
When Britain went to the polls in October 1918, and again in April 1919, the names of servicemen eligible to vote but not present in their local constituencies, were published in separate absent voter lists. An incomplete collection survives today but many lists - often found published separately in bound volumes of electoral registers - have been published online already, and many more, it is to be hoped, will follow.
Although men had to be over 21 to vote, the Representation of the People Act of 1918 allowed men as young as 19 who had seen service during the First World War, to also have the vote. This included men who had subsequently been discharged from military service and were still under the age of 21, although this was not clarified until after the 1918 election.
Please report broken links. Additions to this list are always welcome.
Accrington - Absent Voters 1918
FREE online.
Alnwick and Amble (Northumberland) 1918
FREE online
Angmering - Absent Voters 1918
FREE online.
Ardwick - Absent Voters 1918-19
Tameside Local Studies and Archives Centre has a privately compiled list of Manchester Regiment men, all of these men from Ardwick.
Ashford Division - Absent Voters 1918
Available on CD from Brickwall Research
Barnard Castle
Enquire at Durham County Record Office
Barnsley
Bath
Published on Findmypast
Beaminster, Dorset
FREE online. Last name, first name initials, regiment
Bermondsey 1918
Southwark Local Studies Library
Bewdley 1919
FREE online.
Birkenhead - Absent Voters 1918
A list of Absent Voters from Birkenhead East is held at Birkenhead Central Library
Birmingham - Absent Voters 1918-1939
Available on Ancestry
Bishop Auckland
Enquire at Durham County Record Office
Blackpool
Published on Findmypast
Blaydon
Enquire at Durham County Record Office
Bournemouth
Published on Findmypast
Brixton
Held by Lambeth Archives
Bromsgrove 1919
FREE online.
Burnley - Absent Voters 1918-1920
Accessible at the County Library in Burnley
Burton Latimer, Northamptonshire - Absent Voters 1918
FREE online, courtesy of the Buron Latimer Heritage Society
Cambridge
Published on Findmypast
Carlisle
Published on Findmypast
Cheltenham
Loads of information on this Gloucestershire County Council website including Cheltenham AVLs for 1918, 1920, 1921 and 1925.
Cheshire
The Cheshire Record Office at Chester has a number of Absent Voters' Lists for 1918, spring 1919 and autumn 1919. The coverage is incomplete. See Access to Archives for a full listing.
Chester-Le-Street
Enquire at Durham County Record Office
Consett
Enquire at Durham County Record Office
Croydon - Absent Voters 1919
Lists are jeld at the Surrey History Centre
County Carlow 1920-21
Supposedly free online although I have not located it
Darlington
Available at Darlington Town Hall
Derbyshire
Available at Derbyshire Record Office
Dorset
Available from S and N Genealogy
Dundee 1919
FREE online
Durham
Enquire at Durham County Record Office
Evesham 1919
FREE online.
Finsbury
Published on Findmypast
Fulham
Available from London Metropolitan Archives
Gateshead
Published on Findmypast. Also available at Gateshead Library
Gloucester
Published on Findmypast
Great Yarmouth
Published on Findmypast
Grimsby and Cleethorpes - Absent Voters 1919
FREE online.
Hampstead
Available from Camden Local Studies Library
Hartlepool
Published on Findmypast. Also available at Hartlepool library.
Hastings
Published on Findmypast
Holborn
Available from Camden Local Studies Library
Houghton Le Spring
Enquire at Durham County Record Office
Huddersfield 1918 and 1919
Available from Huddersfield Central Library
Jarrow
Enquire at Durham County Record Office
Kensington
Available from Kensington Central Library
Kidderminster 1919
FREE online.
Kingston-upon-Hull
Published on Findmypast
Lancing
FREE online. Transcribed by Sue Light
Leeds
Published on Findmypast
Leicester
Published on Findmypast
Lewisham
Available from London Metropolitan Archives
City of London
Published on Findmypast
Manchester - Absent Voters 1918-1923
Manchester Local Studies Library has Absent Voters lists for the City of Manchester, 1918-1923
Merthyr Tydfil
Published on Findmypast
Newcastle-on-Tyne - Absent Voters 1918
Published on Findmypast
Tyne and Wear Archives also has absent voters lists for the City of Newcastle. According to Durham County Record Office, these lists are also available at Newcastle Central Library.
North Kennington
Available from Lambeth Archives
Norwood
Available from Lambeth Archives
Nottingham
Published on Findmypast
Oldham - Absent Voters 1918
The Manchester and Lancashire FHS retails the Oldham AVL for 1918 on CD. The list is comprised of 14,514 individuals along with the person's address, electoral ward and district. Regimental details are not given.
Preston - Absent Voters 1918
According to a correspondent (for which many thanks) the Preston AVL for 1918 is available in Preston Library.
Salford - North Division - Absent Voters 1918
FREE online PDF, published by Salford War Memorials.
Salford - South Division - Absent Voters 1918
FREE online PDF, published by Salford War Memorials.
Seaham
Enquire at Durham County Record Office
Sedgfield
Enquire at Durham County Record Office
Southwark
Available from London Metropolitan Archives
Spennymoor
Enquire at Durham County Record Office
St Helens
Allegedly available at a price, although I have not located it
St Pancras
Available from Camden Local Studies Library
Steyning and Bramber
FREE online
Stockport - Absent Voters 1918-1925
Stockport Heritage Library has Absent Voters lists for the town of Stockport only.
Stourbridge 1919
FREE online.
Wakefield - Absent Voters 1918
FREE online.
Walthamstow, Essex - 1918
FREE online, thanks to the efforts of the Waltham Forest Family History Society, and with a good introduction.
Wandsworth
Available from London Metropolitan Archives
Woodchurch, Kent - 1918
FREE online
Worcester 1919
FREE online.
Photo courtesy of The National Army Museum.
