Electoral Registers

This information guides provides historical background to electoral registration, detailed information about records held at The Story, and details about how this information can be accessed.

Voting for the election of representatives to parliament and other public bodies began in England as early as 1254 when Henry III called a parliament where two elected knights from each county were summoned.

Whether an election was for parliament or for a borough council or, later on, for the county councils, district councils, parish councils, poor law unions and other bodies that arose, there was a need to keep a list of those eligible to vote. Early registers were kept on handwritten electoral rolls and, between 1697 and 1872, voting was recorded in poll books.

From 1832 onwards, printed electoral registers were mandatory. During the nineteenth century a wide range of qualification criteria existed for different types of elections, and more than one register was sometimes required.

Not everyone has always been able to vote in elections. Having an understanding of when people were eligibile to vote in the past can help you to work out whether the person you are reseaching will appear in a voting register or not.

Before 1678

In certain towns, where a royal charter gave borough status, electors (burgesses or burghers) could vote for the corporation in borough elections.

In 1179 the City of Durham was granted borough status and from at least 1602 there was a mayor and an elected corporation of 12 aldermen plus 24 councilmen appointed by 12 trade guilds.

1678 - 1758

The general election of members of parliament (MPs) was established in 1429. Voters were enfranchised to elect MPs to parliamentary constituencies based on ownership of land in counties (chiefly agricultural) and boroughs (representing business and industry).

It was not until 1678 that County Durham gained representation, with two MPs for the county and two for the city (as a parliamentary borough). The county MPs were elected by county electors, almost entirely male, aged 21 and over, with the freehold to land with a rentable value of at least £2 per year ('forty shilling freeholders'). By the end of the seventeenth century this was extended to include clergymen and some legal officers. Election of Durham City MPs was restricted to borough electors, in this case the freemen of the city. These were usually sons of existing freemen or men who had finished apprenticeship in the city, but honorary freemen could also be nominated by the city corporation.

It has been estimated that across the country, only 1.35% of the population was entitled to vote.

Durham City guild minutes and other documents giving names of those accepted as freemen (qualified to vote in both borough and parliamentary elections) exist from 1728 onwards (references: Du 5/1, Du 1/58; see also index 706).

1759-1831

Parliamentary Acts of 1745 and 1780 instructed each county to deposit a copy of the annual land tax assessment (established in 1692) with the local justices of the peace, to act as an electoral register.

Many of these land tax returns have survived for County Durham, covering the period 1759-1830 (reference: Q/D/L 1-162). These records are indexed and names can be searched in our online collections search database (https://www.thestorydurham.org/our-collections/online-collection/).

From 1798, it was possible, through land tax redemption, to avoid future liability for this tax by the payment of the equivalent of 15 years’ charges, so the land tax records following this date do not include all electors (and some smaller areas disappear completely from the record).

Other surviving land tax records for County Durham are held by Archives and Special Collections at Durham University Library.

1832-1867

The creation of formal electoral registers for parliamentary elections began under the Representation of the People Act 1832 ('The Great Reform Act'), which aimed to redistribute seats more equitably, away from the rural south to the industrial north.

Registers have been compiled annually since then except for 1916-1917 and 1940-1944 (when the most recent register was used) and in 1919-1926 when registers were compiled twice a year.

The existing ancient boroughs were either converted into municipal boroughs, with a standardised electoral qualification (as was the case with Durham City), or lost borough status completely (as happened to Bishop Auckland) or temporarily (like Darlington). More municipal boroughs were created through the nineteenth century. Borough status generally lasted until the 1974 reorganisation of local government.

Five further parliamentary seats were created in County Durham in 1832: three were the new boroughs of Gateshead, South Shields, and Sunderland, and two more were made by dividing the county into Northern and Southern Divisions with two MPs for each.

In counties, election was restricted formally to men, and the 40 shilling freeholder was joined by:

those with a life interest in, and occupation of, land worth over £2 and under £5 a year
all other holders of real property worth at least £10 (e.g. copyholders)
tenants of land paying rent of £50 a year
leaseholders for 20 years of land with £50 clear annual value and for 60 years of land with a clear annual value of £10
a number of other, relatively unimportant, categories

A new standard franchise for borough elections was based on occupation of property (though former freemen also kept the vote for life):

any owner or tenant of a house or other building worth £10 a year resident for twelve months prior to the registration date (15 July) and on which all rates and assessed taxes had been charged
residence within seven miles of the borough
joint occupancy of premises would qualify each occupier to vote if the value of the premises divided by the number of occupiers provided each with the necessary qualification.

A freehold in the borough with the annual value between £2 and £10 also entitled the owner to vote in the county, as did property valued above £10 if in the occupation of a tenant; one property could give rise to various qualifications for various individuals.

Between 1832 and 1918, individuals could be qualified to vote in several constituencies and be qualified by more than one means to vote in a given constituency. The possessor of several qualifications for the one constituency had to select which one to retain, otherwise a standard formula existed for deleting certain types of qualification in preference to other types.

Most existing voting rights were respected for the lifetime of those enjoying them.

The 1832 Act increased the electorate from 450,000 to 650,000. Britain had a population of around 15 million at the time.

The parliamentary electoral registers for County Durham from 1832 to 1892 were kept by the clerk of the peace (the local representative of government) and are available to view at The Story (reference: Q/D/PV 1-137).

The registers are arranged alphabetically by polling district, and alphabetically by township within each district. Within each township the electors were named in alphabetical order with their place of abode, the nature of their qualification and a description of the qualifying property.

The electors of the borough councils (burgesses) form a greater proportion of the population than parliamentary electors. The 1835 Municipal Corporation Act standardised the borough franchise to those living within seven miles of the borough who had occupied rateable property for two and a half years (reduced to one year in 1870) and paid rates. Where the word “successive” appears in borough registers it indicated that the elector had occupied, during the 12 months’ qualifying period, more than one property within the particular constituency, each of which was of a rateable value to qualify its occupier to vote.

Durham City’s borough electoral registers, 1832-1869 (reference: Du 1/56/1-36) are available to view in the collections room at The Story.

From 1837, the election to the board of guardians of poor law unions was made by those landowners eligible to pay the poor rate, essentially the same criteria as for parliamentary elections. Elections were held at a meeting of the parish or township vestry. The qualifying dates were in July and the effective dates were at the beginning of December.

Electoral divisions in County Durham, 1832 to 1867

Parliamentary constituency name	Type	Notes
Durham City (Municipal Borough from 1835)	Borough
Gateshead (Municipal Borough from 1835)	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
South Shields (Municipal Borough from 1850)	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Sunderland (Municipal Borough from 1835)	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Northern Division	County
Southern Division	County

1868-1884

The Representation of the People Act 1867 ('The Second Reform Act') created three further constituencies as new boroughs: Darlington, Stockton, and Hartlepool.

Civil parishes were formally created in 1866, taking on the collection of rates and the election of poor law guardians. Non-metropolitan areas in 1875 were divided into rural and urban sanitary districts; the sanitary authorities managing these were formed from existing boards of guardians and town councillors.

The county franchise was extended to occupiers (owners or tenants) of lands rated at £12, who paid poor rates. The £10 qualification for holders of various classes of real estate was halved to £5.

In boroughs, the franchise was extended beyond owners and tenants to lodgers occupying lodgings worth £10 a year with twelve months’ residence. Thus a householder franchise was created in the boroughs and the electorate doubled to one adult male in three.

From 1878, parliamentary and burgess lists were frequently drawn up together, and tended to be in street order. Unmarried women who owned property were included in the burgess rolls from 1869.

Alphabetical tables were added, of electors qualifying under the new £12 occupation franchise and those qualifying under the £50 annual rental value franchise (created in 1832).

By 1866, the electorate had risen to one million and the 1867 Act increased it to two million. The secret ballot was introduced in 1872 to cut down on bribery and other bad practices.

Up to 1915 the qualifying dates were in July and the effective date was 1 January.

Electoral divisions in County Durham, 1868 to 1884

Parliamentary constituency name	Type	Notes
Darlington (Municipal Borough from 1867)	Borough	Records missing
Durham City	Borough	Records missing
Gateshead	Borough	Records missing
The Hartlepools (Municipal Borough from 1868)	Borough	Records missing
South Shields	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Stockton (Municipal Borough from 1868)	Borough	Records missing
Sunderland	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Northern Division	County
Southern Division	County

1885-1888

The Representation of the People Act 1884 ('The Third Reform Act') was followed by the Redistribution of Seats Act of 1885. This removed one of Durham City’s MPs and reorganised the county electors into eight divisions giving a new total of 15 MPs. (Further changes to constituencies have continued regularly and there are currently 16 MPs covering the historic County Durham area).

Occupiers and lodgers were enfranchised in the counties, as they had previously been in the boroughs. Freeholders of inherited land (or land acquired by marriage) worth £2, freeholders of any land worth £5 and certain lessees were also enfranchised.

By 1884, the electorate had increased to 2.6 million and following the 1885 Act 60% of adult males became eligible to vote (virtually all male heads of household), giving a total electorate, in 1885, of 4.4 million. The twelve months’ residence requirement continued. Half a million men could still vote in more than one seat.

The registers continued to be arranged by polling district. Separate alphabetical tabulations were compiled for each polling district of the two classes of occupation electors (in which the £50 leaseholders were included), ownership electors and lodger electors. A limited number of ownership electors became qualified to vote in the county constituency adjoining the parliamentary borough in which their qualifying property was situated because the occupier of that property was using it as the basis of his qualification to vote in the borough. This applies from 1832 but becomes more apparent with the change in format of registers in 1885.

1889-1893

County councils, such as Durham County Council, were created in 1889 with county councillors elected every four years. At the same time, some municipal boroughs became county boroughs, independent from the surrounding county.

Separate registers of county council electors, 1889-1915, survive and can be viewed in the collections room (reference: CC/Cl 2/1-191). The county franchise was given to all those who could vote in parliamentary elections as £10 occupiers as well as to existing burgess voters. These registers are arranged by county council electoral district. Each contains two lists: those who could vote in both local and parliamentary elections; and those who qualified only for local elections who are therefore additional to those listed in the parliamentary electoral registers. Borough electors are included in these.

Residents of a municipal borough were also represented on the county council and those duly qualified to vote appear in the county’s local government electoral registers. Residents of county boroughs (created in and after 1889) were not qualified and do not appear in the registers. Separate non-resident lists were compiled for both boroughs and counties for those living within seven and 15 miles of the borough or county who were qualified to stand for election to those councils.

1894-1915

Married women were enfranchised for local government elections in 1894, although the property which qualified the husband could not be used to provide the qualification of the wife.

The county council took over responsibility for keeping electoral registers. Digital copies of those for 1893-1974 (excluding county borough records) are available to view in the Search and Discover space at The Story (reference: CC/Cl 1/1-916). Digital access only is permitted.

In 1894, civil parish councils were rationalised and became elected bodies. Sanitary authorities became rural district councils and urban district councils; the elected district councillors also served as poor law guardians until 1930. The electorate for these bodies, known as 'parochial electors', was the combined parliamentary and county council electorate for the particular area concerned.

Electoral divisions in County Durham, 1885 to 1915

Parliamentary constituency name	Type	Notes
Barnard Castle	County
Bishop Auckland	County
Chester le Street	County
Darlington	Borough	Records missing; borough voters included in County Council electoral registers from 1889
Durham City	Borough	Records missing; borough voters included in County Council electoral registers from 1889
Gateshead (County Borough from 1889)	Borough	Records missing
The Hartlepools	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section; borough voters included in County Council electoral registers from 1889
Houghton le Spring	County
Jarrow (Municipal Borough from 1875)	County
Mid Durham	County
North Western Durham	County
South Eastern Durham	County
South Shields (County Borough from 1889)	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Stockton	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section ; borough voters included in County Council electoral registers from 1889
Sunderland (County Borough from 1889)	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section

Note: 1894 marked the start of parish and rural/urban district council elections.

1916-1917

There was no electoral registration during the First World War.

1918-1928

After the end of the First World War, a single electoral registration was put in place, with the same rules applying for all elections.

Any man over 21 with six months’ residence, or six months’ occupation of business premises of £10 annual value within the constituency, or within a neighbouring constituency, could vote. Women aged 30 or over, who were local government electors or the wives of local government electors, were also enfranchised.

Some 3 million men and 6 million women were added to the registers, making a total electorate of 21 million.

From 1918 to 1939, arrangements were made for temporary absences to be covered by both postal and proxy voting systems. Members of the armed services are listed twice, both in the normal registers and, with additional information, in separate absent voters lists. In both cases the entry comes under the constituency in which they would normally live.

After 1918, an elector could vote twice if his second vote was under the business or university franchise. The business vote was exercised in the usual constituencies as a vote for owners of businesses in the area if they lived in another constituency. University votes were for university graduates in separate university constituencies; two MPs represented all English universities other than Oxford and Cambridge.

In the new combined registers each polling district within the given constituency has a separate section. Information on the civil parish, county council electoral division and, where appropriate, municipal ward in which the properties within the polling district are situated, is provided. Within polling districts, arrangement of the entries was to be, whenever possible, by street order: in practice, for rural areas alphabetical listing by the name of the head of the household persisted. Letter codes and symbols were used to indicate the nature of the qualification to vote or the limitations upon the franchise enjoyed (see table below). From 1922 liability for jury service was noted (by J or S.J.). The registers for 1918 and 1919 displayed the various codes and symbols but tabulated separately those who were only local government electors or only parliamentary electors.

The qualifying date was 15 January and the effective dates were 15 April for the Spring registers. For the Autumn registers the qualifying date was 15 July and the effective date 15 October.

1928-1939

The Representation of the People (Equal Franchise) Act of 1928 made the conditions for eligibility the same for women and men and for landowners and tenants. All people over 21 years old could now vote, regardless of property ownership, increasing the electorate to 28.5 million.

The qualifying date was 1 June and the effective date was 15 October.

1940-1944

There was no registration during the Second World War.

1945-1948

Separate civilian and service registers were compiled in the same way as the earlier absent voters lists.

Qualification was based on the National Identity Card register of 30 June. The effective date was 15 October.

Electoral divisions in County Durham, 1918 to 1948

Parliamentary constituency name	Type	Notes
Barnard Castle	County
Bishop Auckland	County
Blaydon	County
Chester le Street	County
Consett	County
Darlington (County Borough from 1915)	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Durham	County
Gateshead	Borough
The Hartlepools	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Houghton le Spring	County
Jarrow	County
Seaham	County
Sedgefield	County
South Shields	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Spennymoor	County
Stockton on Tees	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Sunderland	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section

1949-1974

The abolition of the business and university franchises in 1948 left a system of universal adult suffrage with no one exercising more than one vote.

The few electors not entitled to vote in certain classes of election are indicated in the registers, as are jurors. Each polling district is represented by a separate section of the register. Within a polling district the electorate is generally arranged in alphabetical street order, then by house number.

Up to 2014 the qualifying dates were in October and the effective dates were in the February of the next year.

Electoral divisions in County Durham, 1949 to 1970

Parliamentary constituency name	Type	Notes
Bishop Auckland	County
Blaydon	County
Chester le Street	County
Consett	County
Darlington	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Durham	County
Easington	County
Gateshead East	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Gateshead West	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
The Hartlepools	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Houghton le Spring	County
Jarrow (County Borough from 1955)	Borough	Records from 1955 onward not held at The Story
North West Durham	County
Sedgefield	County
South Shields	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Stockton on Tees	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Sunderland North	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Sunderland South	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section

Electoral divisions in County Durham, 1971 to 1974

Parliamentary constituency name	Type	Notes
Bishop Auckland	County
Blaydon	Borough	Records missing
Chester le Street	County
Consett	County
Darlington	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Durham	County
Easington	County
Gateshead East	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Gateshead West	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Hartlepool	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Houghton le Spring	County
Jarrow	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
North West Durham	County
Sedgefield	County
South Shields	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Stockton on Tees	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Sunderland North	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Sunderland South	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section

1975-2002

The boundaries of County Durham were changed in 1974 and urban and rural district councils were replaced by district councils, with the election of district councillors. Registers were compiled by the district councils and organised by polling district as above. Most registers refer to just one constituency but Bishop Auckland constituency, for instance, included Sedgefield, Teesdale and some of Wear Valley District.

In 1974 Rural and Urban districts were replaced by new districts and the new counties of Tyne and Wear and Cleveland were created. Hartlepool and Stockton on Tees moved into the new Cleveland County while Blaydon, Gateshead, Houghton le Spring, Jarrow (South Tyneside), South Shields and Sunderland moved into the new Tyne and Wear area. The Startforth area in the North Riding of Yorkshire was added to County Durham.

Electoral divisions in County Durham, 1975 to 2008

From 1974 the electoral registers were produced by the new district councils and contain all addresses in their wards rather than in a particular electoral division. There were changes to electoral division boundaries in 1983 and 1997. For this period the main table below shows the register to look in rather than the electoral division.

Parliamentary constituency name	Type	Notes
Bishop Auckland	County
Darlington	Borough
Durham City	County
Easington	County
North Durham	County	From 1983
North West Durham	County
Sedgefield	County	From 1983

Note: in 1997 Darlington became a unitary authority

2003 to date

Registers from 2003 onwards (including the current register) are subject to tighter legal restrictions than previous registers. These have not been digitised, cannot be copied, and are only available to be viewed under supervision in the collections room at The Story. These are the full registers, not the edited registers.

In 2009, County Durham became a unitary authority when the district councils and county council merged (reference: DCC/Res 3/1) and are compiled by constituency.

From 2014 registers were compiled on a rolling program throughout the year, rather than on a particular date so the archived printed versions represent voters at a particular point in the year. Registration was also changed to be the responsibility of each individual in a house rather than that of the head of the household.

Electoral divisions in County Durham, 2009-2024

From 2009 electoral registers were produced by Durham County Council (as a new unitary authority), for their electoral wards in the following electoral divisions:

Parliamentary constituency name	Type	Notes
Bishop Auckland	County
City of Durham	County
Darlington	Borough
Easington	County
North Durham	County
North West Durham	County
Sedgefield	County

Note: in 2009 the County Council and District Councils were absorbed into the new Durham County unitary authority.
In 2014 individual electoral registration was introduced.

Electoral divisions in County Durham, 2025-

In 2023/2024 there was a substantial national revision of electoral boundaries, with Durham County Council now producing electoral registers for their electoral wards in the following electoral divisions:

Parliamentary constituency name

Bishop Auckland

Blaydon and Consett (Consett area only)

City of Durham

Easington

Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor

North Durham

History of voting and eligibility to vote

Before 1678

In certain towns, where a royal charter gave borough status, electors (burgesses or burghers) could vote for the corporation in borough elections.

In 1179 the City of Durham was granted borough status and from at least 1602 there was a mayor and an elected corporation of 12 aldermen plus 24 councilmen appointed by 12 trade guilds.

1678 - 1758

It has been estimated that across the country, only 1.35% of the population was entitled to vote.

1759-1831

Other surviving land tax records for County Durham are held by Archives and Special Collections at Durham University Library.

1832-1867

Registers have been compiled annually since then except for 1916-1917 and 1940-1944 (when the most recent register was used) and in 1919-1926 when registers were compiled twice a year.

In counties, election was restricted formally to men, and the 40 shilling freeholder was joined by:

those with a life interest in, and occupation of, land worth over £2 and under £5 a year
all other holders of real property worth at least £10 (e.g. copyholders)
tenants of land paying rent of £50 a year
leaseholders for 20 years of land with £50 clear annual value and for 60 years of land with a clear annual value of £10
a number of other, relatively unimportant, categories

A new standard franchise for borough elections was based on occupation of property (though former freemen also kept the vote for life):

any owner or tenant of a house or other building worth £10 a year resident for twelve months prior to the registration date (15 July) and on which all rates and assessed taxes had been charged
residence within seven miles of the borough
joint occupancy of premises would qualify each occupier to vote if the value of the premises divided by the number of occupiers provided each with the necessary qualification.

Most existing voting rights were respected for the lifetime of those enjoying them.

The 1832 Act increased the electorate from 450,000 to 650,000. Britain had a population of around 15 million at the time.

Durham City’s borough electoral registers, 1832-1869 (reference: Du 1/56/1-36) are available to view in the collections room at The Story.

Electoral divisions in County Durham, 1832 to 1867

Parliamentary constituency name	Type	Notes
Durham City (Municipal Borough from 1835)	Borough
Gateshead (Municipal Borough from 1835)	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
South Shields (Municipal Borough from 1850)	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Sunderland (Municipal Borough from 1835)	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Northern Division	County
Southern Division	County

1868-1884

The Representation of the People Act 1867 ('The Second Reform Act') created three further constituencies as new boroughs: Darlington, Stockton, and Hartlepool.

The county franchise was extended to occupiers (owners or tenants) of lands rated at £12, who paid poor rates. The £10 qualification for holders of various classes of real estate was halved to £5.

From 1878, parliamentary and burgess lists were frequently drawn up together, and tended to be in street order. Unmarried women who owned property were included in the burgess rolls from 1869.

Alphabetical tables were added, of electors qualifying under the new £12 occupation franchise and those qualifying under the £50 annual rental value franchise (created in 1832).

By 1866, the electorate had risen to one million and the 1867 Act increased it to two million. The secret ballot was introduced in 1872 to cut down on bribery and other bad practices.

Up to 1915 the qualifying dates were in July and the effective date was 1 January.

Electoral divisions in County Durham, 1868 to 1884

Parliamentary constituency name	Type	Notes
Darlington (Municipal Borough from 1867)	Borough	Records missing
Durham City	Borough	Records missing
Gateshead	Borough	Records missing
The Hartlepools (Municipal Borough from 1868)	Borough	Records missing
South Shields	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Stockton (Municipal Borough from 1868)	Borough	Records missing
Sunderland	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Northern Division	County
Southern Division	County

1885-1888

1889-1893

1894-1915

Married women were enfranchised for local government elections in 1894, although the property which qualified the husband could not be used to provide the qualification of the wife.

Electoral divisions in County Durham, 1885 to 1915

Parliamentary constituency name	Type	Notes
Barnard Castle	County
Bishop Auckland	County
Chester le Street	County
Darlington	Borough	Records missing; borough voters included in County Council electoral registers from 1889
Durham City	Borough	Records missing; borough voters included in County Council electoral registers from 1889
Gateshead (County Borough from 1889)	Borough	Records missing
The Hartlepools	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section; borough voters included in County Council electoral registers from 1889
Houghton le Spring	County
Jarrow (Municipal Borough from 1875)	County
Mid Durham	County
North Western Durham	County
South Eastern Durham	County
South Shields (County Borough from 1889)	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Stockton	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section ; borough voters included in County Council electoral registers from 1889
Sunderland (County Borough from 1889)	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section

Note: 1894 marked the start of parish and rural/urban district council elections.

1916-1917

There was no electoral registration during the First World War.

1918-1928

After the end of the First World War, a single electoral registration was put in place, with the same rules applying for all elections.

Some 3 million men and 6 million women were added to the registers, making a total electorate of 21 million.

The qualifying date was 15 January and the effective dates were 15 April for the Spring registers. For the Autumn registers the qualifying date was 15 July and the effective date 15 October.

1928-1939

The qualifying date was 1 June and the effective date was 15 October.

1940-1944

There was no registration during the Second World War.

1945-1948

Separate civilian and service registers were compiled in the same way as the earlier absent voters lists.

Qualification was based on the National Identity Card register of 30 June. The effective date was 15 October.

Electoral divisions in County Durham, 1918 to 1948

Parliamentary constituency name	Type	Notes
Barnard Castle	County
Bishop Auckland	County
Blaydon	County
Chester le Street	County
Consett	County
Darlington (County Borough from 1915)	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Durham	County
Gateshead	Borough
The Hartlepools	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Houghton le Spring	County
Jarrow	County
Seaham	County
Sedgefield	County
South Shields	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Spennymoor	County
Stockton on Tees	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Sunderland	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section

1949-1974

The abolition of the business and university franchises in 1948 left a system of universal adult suffrage with no one exercising more than one vote.

Up to 2014 the qualifying dates were in October and the effective dates were in the February of the next year.

Electoral divisions in County Durham, 1949 to 1970

Parliamentary constituency name	Type	Notes
Bishop Auckland	County
Blaydon	County
Chester le Street	County
Consett	County
Darlington	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Durham	County
Easington	County
Gateshead East	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Gateshead West	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
The Hartlepools	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Houghton le Spring	County
Jarrow (County Borough from 1955)	Borough	Records from 1955 onward not held at The Story
North West Durham	County
Sedgefield	County
South Shields	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Stockton on Tees	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Sunderland North	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Sunderland South	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section

Electoral divisions in County Durham, 1971 to 1974

Parliamentary constituency name	Type	Notes
Bishop Auckland	County
Blaydon	Borough	Records missing
Chester le Street	County
Consett	County
Darlington	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Durham	County
Easington	County
Gateshead East	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Gateshead West	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Hartlepool	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Houghton le Spring	County
Jarrow	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
North West Durham	County
Sedgefield	County
South Shields	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Stockton on Tees	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Sunderland North	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section
Sunderland South	Borough	Records not at The Story. See 'Borough registers and records held elsewhere' section

1975-2002

Electoral divisions in County Durham, 1975 to 2008

Parliamentary constituency name	Type	Notes
Bishop Auckland	County
Darlington	Borough
Durham City	County
Easington	County
North Durham	County	From 1983
North West Durham	County
Sedgefield	County	From 1983

Note: in 1997 Darlington became a unitary authority

2003 to date

In 2009, County Durham became a unitary authority when the district councils and county council merged (reference: DCC/Res 3/1) and are compiled by constituency.

Electoral divisions in County Durham, 2009-2024

From 2009 electoral registers were produced by Durham County Council (as a new unitary authority), for their electoral wards in the following electoral divisions:

Parliamentary constituency name	Type	Notes
Bishop Auckland	County
City of Durham	County
Darlington	Borough
Easington	County
North Durham	County
North West Durham	County
Sedgefield	County

Note: in 2009 the County Council and District Councils were absorbed into the new Durham County unitary authority.
In 2014 individual electoral registration was introduced.

Electoral divisions in County Durham, 2025-

Parliamentary constituency name

Bishop Auckland

Blaydon and Consett (Consett area only)

City of Durham

Easington

Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor

North Durham

Accessing electoral registers at The Story

If you would like to view a register dated before 1885 (and a small number of 1885-1901 registers), the original documents should be requested by booking an appointment in the collections room at The Story (https://www.thestorydurham.org/access-our-collections/). This includes the following records:

1728-1832

Durham City freemen - borough and parliamentary electors (reference: Du 5/1; index 706)

1759-1830

County land tax returns - parliamentary electors (reference: Q/D/L 1-162)
Poll books (reference: Du 1/55, D/X 86, D/X 212, D/CL 3, and others).

1833-1867

Parliamentary electors in Durham North and Durham South (reference: Q/D/PV 1-38)
Parliamentary and borough electors in Durham City (Du 1/56/1-36)

1868-1885

Parliamentary electors in Durham North and Durham South (reference: Q/D/PV 39-81)

1885-1915

Parliamentary electors in Barnard Castle, Bishop Auckland, Chester-le-Street, Houghton-le-Spring, Jarrow, Mid-Durham, North-West Durham and South-East Durham, 1885-1892 (reference: Q/D/PV 82-137)

If you would like to view an electoral registers from between 1885 and 2002, these have been digitised and are available to view in Search and Discover, our digital research area at The Story. Access is free and the space is open seven days a week. See our website for more information about visiting https://www.thestorydurham.org/visit/.

If you would like to view a register dated from 2003 onwards, the original documents should be requested by booking an appointment in the collections room at The Story (https://www.thestorydurham.org/access-our-collections/).

Registers from 2003 onwards (including the current register) are subject to tighter legal restrictions than previous registers. These have not been digitised, cannot be copied, and are only available to be viewed under supervision in the collections room at The Story. These are the full registers, not the edited registers.

What town, parish or ward should I look at in an electoral register?

The following A-Z guide indicates which electoral division a townshop or parish was in, from 1832 to present day.

Electoral registers are arranged by constituency so it is useful to know which constituencies existed at any point in time. The table below lists the townships (later civil parishes) in County Durham and indicates the electoral register in which they will be found at different times after 1832. Electoral wards tended to equate to townships but more recently are sub-divisions or amalgamations of civil parishes. Significant dates and boundary changes are noted.

For placenames which are not found in the table see our library publication Durham Places in the Mid-Nineteenth Century (1996) which contains a list of all the place-names included on the first edition (1856) 1:10560, Ordnance Survey maps of the county, and the townships in which they are to be found.

The information provided above will indicate whether you need to view the original register, or a digital copy.

A

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Aislaby	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton
Annfield Plain	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	North Durham	North Durham
Archdeacon Newton	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Auckland, St. Andrew	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Wear Valley	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Auckland, St. Helen	Southern	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Wear Valley	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Aycliffe	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor

B

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Barforth	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Barmpton	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Barmston	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Barnard Castle	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Barningham	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Barony	Southern	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Beamish (Urpeth)	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Derwentside	North Durham	North Durham
Bearpark	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Bedburn	Southern	Barnard Castle	Spennymoor	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Wear Valley	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Belmont	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Benfieldside	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	Blaydon and Consett
Billingham	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Stockton(B)	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton
Billingside	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	North Durham
Billy Row	Southern	Barnard Castle	Spennymoor	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	Bishop Auckland
Binchester	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Wear Valley	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Birtley	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
Bishop Auckland	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Wear Valley	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Bishop Middleham	Southern	Mid-Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Bishopley	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	Bishop Auckland
Bishopton	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Bishopwearmouth	Northern $ and Sunderland (B)	Houghton-le-Spring $ and Sunderland (B)	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland North and South(B)	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Bishopwearmouth Panns	Northern $ and Sunderland (B)	Houghton-le-Spring $ and Sunderland (B)	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland North and South(B)	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Bishopwearmouth Without	Northern $ and Sunderland (B)	Houghton-le-Spring $ and Sunderland (B)	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland North and South(B)	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Blackwell	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Blaydon	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Blaydon	Blaydon	Blaydon (B)	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
Bolam	Southern	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Derwentside	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Boldon	Northern	Jarrow	Houghton-le-Spring	Jarrow (1949-1954)/ Jarrow (B) (1955-)	Jarrow (B)	South Tyneside	South Tyneside	South Tyneside
Boldon Colliery	Northern	Jarrow	Houghton-le-Spring	Jarrow (1949-1954)/ Jarrow (B) (1955-)	Jarrow (B)	South Tyneside	South Tyneside	South Tyneside
Boldron	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Bournmoor	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	North Durham	North Durham
Bowes	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Bradbury and the Isle	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Bradley	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	Bishop Auckland
Brafferton	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Brancepeth	Southern	Mid-Durham	Spennymoor	Durham	Northwest Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Brandon and Byshottles	Southern	Mid-Durham	Spennymoor	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Brierton	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Hartlepool	Hartlepool	Hartlepool
Brignall	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Broom	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Burdon	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Seaham	Easington	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Burnhope and Hamsteels	Northern	Northwestern	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	North Durham
Burnopfield and Dipton						Derwentside	Northwest Durham	Blaydon and Consett
Bushblades and Kyo	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	North Durham	North Durham
Butsfield	Northern	Northwestern	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	City of Durham
Butterwick and Oldacres	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Byers Green	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Durham	Northwest Durham	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor

C

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Carlbury	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Carlton	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton
Cassop	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Cassop-cum-Quarrington	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Castle Eden	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington
Catchgate	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	North Durham	North Durham
Chester-le-Street	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	North Durham	North Durham
Chilton	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Chopwell	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Blaydon	Blaydon	Blaydon (B)	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
Claxton	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Hartlepool	Hartlepool	Hartlepool
Cleadon	Northern	Jarrow	Houghton-le-Spring	Jarrow (1949-1954)/ Jarrow (B) (1955-)	Jarrow(B)	South Tyneside	South Tyneside	South Tyneside
Cleatlam	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Coatham Mundeville	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Coatsay Moor	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Cocken	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Cockerton	Southern $ and Darlington (B) (1867-)	Southeastern $ and Darlington (B)	Darlington (B)	Darlington(B)	Darlington(B)	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Cockfield	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Cold Hesledon	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Easington	Houghton-le-Spring	Easington	Easington	Easington
Collierley (and Pontop)	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	North Durham
Coniscliffe	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Consett	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	Blaydon and Consett
Conside and Knitsley	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	Blaydon and Consett
Cornforth	Southern	Mid-Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Cornsay	Southern	Northwestern	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	City of Durham
Cotherstone	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Coundon	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Wear Valley	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Coundon Grange	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Wear Valley	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Cowpen Bewley	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Stockton (B)	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton
Coxhoe	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Craghead	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	North Durham	North Durham
Crawcrook	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Blaydon	Blaydon	Blaydon (B)	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
Crook and Billy Row	Southern	Barnard Castle	Spennymoor	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	Bishop Auckland
Crossgate	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Croxdale and Butterby	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor

D

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Dalton Piercy	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Hartlepool	Hartlepool	Hartlepool
Dalton-le-Dale	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington
Darlington	Southern $ and Darlington (B) (1867-)	Southeastern $ and Darlington (B)	Darlington (B)	Darlington (B)	Darlington (B)	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Dawdon	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Easington	Easington	Easington
Dene Valley						Wear Valley	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Denton	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Dinsdale	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Dipton	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	North Durham
Dunston	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Blaydon	Blaydon	Blaydon (B)	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
Durham	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Durham, Castle and Precincts	Northern $ and Durham (B)	Mid-Durham $ and Durham (B)	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Durham, College	Northern $ and Durham (B)	Mid-Durham $ and Durham (B)	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Durham, St. Giles	Northern $ and Durham (B)	Mid-Durham $ and Durham (B)	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Durham, St. Mary Magdalene	Northern $ and Durham (B)	Mid-Durham $ and Durham (B)	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Durham, St. Mary the Less	Northern $ and Durham (B)	Mid-Durham $ and Durham (B)	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Durham, St. Mary-le-Bow	Northern $ and Durham (B)	Mid-Durham $ and Durham (B)	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Durham, St. Nicholas	Northern $ and Durham (B)	Mid-Durham $ and Durham (B)	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Durham, St. Oswald	Northern $ and Durham (B)	Mid-Durham $ and Durham (B)	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham

E

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Easington	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington
Easington Lane	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Durham	Durham	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
East and Middle Herrington	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
East and West Newbiggin	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
East Boldon	Northern	Jarrow	Houghton-le-Spring	Jarrow (1949-1954)/ Jarrow (B) (1955-)	Jarrow (B)	South Tyneside	South Tyneside	South Tyneside
East Hartburn	Southern $ and Stockton (B) (1867-)	Southeastern $ and Stockton (B)	Stockton (B)	Stockton (B)	Stockton (B)	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton
East Hetton	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
East Murton	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Seaham	Easington	Houghton-le-Spring	Easington	Easington	Easington
East Rainton	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Durham	Durham	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
East Thickley	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Ebchester	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	Blaydon and Consett
Edmondsley	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	North Durham	North Durham
Edmundbyers	Northern	Northwestern	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	Bishop Auckland
Egglescliffe	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton
Eggleston	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Egglestone Abbey	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Eldon	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Elstob	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Elton	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton
Elvet	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Elwick	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Hartlepool	Hartlepool	Hartlepool
Elwick Hall	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Hartlepool	Hartlepool	Hartlepool
Embleton	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Eppleton	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Durham	Durham	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Escomb	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Wear Valley	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Esh	Northern	Northwestern	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	City of Durham
Etherley	Southern	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Evenwood and Barony	Southern	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland

F

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Felling	Northern	Jarrow	Jarrow	Jarrow (1949-1954)/ Jarrow (B) (1955-)	Gateshead (B)	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
Fellside	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Blaydon	Blaydon	Blaydon (B)	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
Ferryhill	Southern	Mid-Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Fishburn	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Ford	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Forest and Frith	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Foxton and Shotton	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Framwellgate	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Framwellgate Moor	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Frosterley	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	Bishop Auckland
Fulwell	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland North and South(B)	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland

G

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Gainford	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Garmondsway Moor	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield/Durham	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Gateshead	Northern $ and Gateshead (B)	Chester-le-Street $ and Gateshead (B)	Gateshead (B)	Gateshead East and West (B)	Gateshead (B)	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
Gateshead Fell	Northern $ and Gateshead (B)	Chester-le-Street $ and Gateshead (B)	Gateshead (B)	Gateshead East and West (B)	Gateshead (B)	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
Gilmonby	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Great Aycliffe	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Great Burdon	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Great Eppleton	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Durham	Durham	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Great Lumley	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	North Durham	North Durham
Great Stainton	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Great Usworth	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Greatham (Hospital)	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Hartlepool	Hartlepool	Hartlepool
Greencroft	Northern	Northwestern	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	North Durham
Grindon	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton

H

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Hallgarth	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Hamsteels	Northern	Northwestern	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	City of Durham
Hamsterley	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Harraton	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Hart	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Hartlepool	Hartlepool	Hartlepool
Hartburn	Southern $ and Stockton (B) (1867-)	Southeastern $ and Stockton (B)	Stockton (B)	Stockton (B)	Stockton (B)	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton
Hartlepool	Southern $ and Hartlepools (B) (1867-)	Southeastern $ and Hartlepools (B)	Hartlepools (B)	Hartlepools (B)	Hartlepool(B)	Hartlepool	Hartlepool	Hartlepool
Harton	Northern	Jarrow	Houghton-le-Spring	South Shields (B)	South Shields (B)	South Tyneside	South Tyneside	South Tyneside
Haswell	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington
Haughton-le-Skerne	Southern $ and Darlington (B) (1867-)	Southeastern $ and Darlington (B)	Sedgefield	Darlington (B)	Darlington (B)	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Hawthorn	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Easington	Easington	Easington
Headlam	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Healeyfield	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	North Durham
Hebburn	Northern	Jarrow	Jarrow	Jarrow (1949-1954)/ Jarrow (B) (1955-)	Jarrow (B)	South Tyneside	South Tyneside	South Tyneside
Hedley	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
Hedleyhope	Southern	Northwestern	Spennymoor	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	City of Durham
Hedworth, Monkton and Jarrow	Northern	Jarrow	Jarrow	Jarrow (1949-1954)/ Jarrow (B) (1955-)	Jarrow (B)	South Tyneside	South Tyneside	South Tyneside
Heighington	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Helmington	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Spennymoor	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	City of Durham
Helmington Row	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Spennymoor	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	Bishop Auckland
Hesleden	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham/Jarrow	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington
Hett	Southern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Hetton-le-Hole	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Durham	Durham	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Heworth	Northern	Chester-le-Street/Jarrow	Jarrow	Jarrow (1949-1954)/ Jarrow (B) (1955-)	Jarrow (B)	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
High Coniscliffe	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Hilton	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Holmside	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	North Durham
Holwick	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Hope	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Horden	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington
Houghton-le-Side	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Houghton-le-Spring	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Hulam	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington
Hunderthwaite	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Hunstanworth	Northern	Northwestern	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	Bishop Auckland
Hunwick and Helmington	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Spennymoor	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	City of Durham
Hurworth	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Hutton Henry	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington
Hutton Magna	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Hylton	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland

I

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Ingleton	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Iveston	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	Blaydon and Consett

J

Township/Parish/Ward

1832 - 1885

1886 - 1915

1918 - 1948

1949 - 1970

1971 - 1974

1975 -2008

2009-2024

2025-

Jarrow

Northern

Jarrow

Jarrow (1949-1954)/

Jarrow (B) (1955-)

Jarrow (B)

South Tyneside

K

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Kelloe	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Keverstone	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Kibblesworth	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
Killerby	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington r
Kimblesworth	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	North Durham	North Durham
Kirk Merrington	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Northwest Durham	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Knitsley	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	Blaydon and Consett
Kyo	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	North Durham	North Durham

L

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Lambton	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	North Durham	North Durham
Lamesley	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
Lanchester	Northern	Northwestern	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	North Durham
Langley	Northern	Northwestern	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	North Durham
Langley Park	Northern	Northwestern	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	City of Durham
Langleydale and Shotton	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Langton	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Lartington	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Leadgate	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	Blaydon and Consett
Little Eppleton	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Durham	Durham	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Little Lumley	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	North Durham	North Durham
Little Stainton	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington r
Little Usworth	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Longnewton	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton
Low Coniscliffe	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Low Dinsdale	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Low Spennymoor	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Spennymoor	Durham	Northwest Durham	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Lowside	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Blaydon	Blaydon	Blaydon (B)	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
Ludworth	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Easington
Lumley	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	North Durham	North Durham
Lunedale	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Lynesack and Softley	Southern	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland

M

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Mainsforth	Southern	Mid-Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Marwood	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Medomsley	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	Blaydon and Consett
Merrington	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Northwest Durham	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Merrington Lane	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Spennymoor	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Mickleton	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Middle Herrington	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Middlestone	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Wear Valley	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Middlestone (Moor)	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Spennymoor	Durham	Northwest Durham	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Middleton St. George	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Middleton-in-Teesdale	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Middridge	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Middridge Grange	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Sedgefield	Darlington	Darlington
Monk Hesleden	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham/Jarrow	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington
Monkton	Northern	Jarrow	Houghton-le-Spring	Jarrow (1949-1954)/ Jarrow (B) (1955-)	Jarrow (B)	South Tyneside	South Tyneside	South Tyneside
Monkwearmouth	Northern $ and Sunderland (B)	Houghton-le-Spring $ and Sunderland (B)	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland North and South(B)	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Monkwearmouth Shore	Northern $ and Sunderland (B)	Houghton-le-Spring $ and Sunderland (B)	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland North and South(B)	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Moorhouse	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Moorsley	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Durham	Durham	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Mordon	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Morton Grange	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Morton Palms	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Morton Tinmouth	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Muggleswick	Northern	Northwestern	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	North Durham
Murton	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Seaham	Easington	Houghton-le-Spring	Easington	Easington	Easington

N

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Neasham	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Nesbitt	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington
Neville's Cross	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Newbiggin	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Newbiggin East and West	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Newbottle	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Newfield	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Wear Valley	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Newlandside	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	Bishop Auckland
Newsham (Egglescliffe)	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton
Newton Aycliffe	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Newton Bewley	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Hartlepool	Hartlepool	Hartlepool
Newton Cap	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Wear Valley	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Newton Hall	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
North Bedburn	Southern	Barnard Castle	Spennymoor	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Wear Valley	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
North Biddick	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
North Lodge	Northern	Chester le Street	Chester le Street	Chester le Street	Chester le Street	Chester le Street	North Durham	North Durham
Norton	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Stockton (B)	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton

O

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Offerton	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Old Park	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Ouston	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	North Durham	North Durham
Ovington	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland

P

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Park Quarter	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	Bishop Auckland
Pelton	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	North Durham	North Durham
Penshaw	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Peterlee	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington
Piercebridge	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Pittington	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Plawsworth	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	North Durham	North Durham
Pollard's Lands	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Wear Valley	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Preston-le-Skerne	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Darlington	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Preston-on-Tees	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton

Q

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Quarrington	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Quebec	Northern	Northwestern	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	City of Durham

R

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Raby with Keverstone	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Ravensworth	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
Redmarshall	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton
Redworth	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Rokeby	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Romaldkirk	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Rookhope	Northern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	Bishop Auckland
Ryhope	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Ryton	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Blaydon	Blaydon	Blaydon (B)	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
Ryton Woodside	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Blaydon	Blaydon	Blaydon (B)	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead

S

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Sacriston	Northern	Mid-Durham	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	North Durham	North Durham
Sadberge	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Satley	Northern	Northwestern	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	City of Durham
Scargill	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
School Aycliffe	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Seaham	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Seaham	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Easington	Easington	Easington
Seaton Carew	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Hartlepool (B)	Hartlepool	Hartlepool	Hartlepool
Seaton with Slingley	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington
Sedgefield	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Shadforth	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Sheraton with Hulam	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington
Sherburn	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Sherburn House	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Shildon	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Shincliffe	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Shotton	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington
Silksworth	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Slingley	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington
Sockburn	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Softley	Southern	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
South Bailey	Northern $ and Durham (B)	Mid-Durham $ and Durham (B)	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
South Bedburn	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
South Biddick	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	North Durham	North Durham
South Cornsay	Southern	Northwestern	Spennymoor	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Derwentside	Northwest Durham	Bishop Auckland
South Hetton	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington
South Shields	Northern $ and South Shields (B)	Jarrow $ and South Shields (B)	South Shields (B)	South Shields (B)	South Shields (B)	South Tyneside	South Tyneside	South Tyneside
Southwick	Northern $ and Sunderland (B)	Houghton-le-Spring $ and Sunderland (B)	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland North and South(B)	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Spennymoor	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Spennymoor	Durham	Northwest Durham	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
St. John's Chapel	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	Bishop Auckland
Staindrop	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Stainton and Streatlam	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Stainton	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Stanhope	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	Bishop Auckland
Stanley	Northern	Northwestern	Consett	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	North Durham	North Durham
Startforth	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Station Town	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington	Easington
Stella	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Blaydon	Blaydon	Blaydon (B)	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
Stillington	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton
Stockton-on-Tees	Southern $ and Stockton (B) (1867-)	Southeastern $ and Stockton (B)	Stockton (B)	Stockton (B)	Stockton (B)	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton
Stranton	Southern $ and Hartlepools (B) (1867-)	Southeastern $ and Hartlepools (B)	Sedgefield	Hartlepools (B)	Hartlepool (B)	Hartlepool	Hartlepool	Hartlepool
Streatlam and Stainton	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Summerhouse	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Sunderland	Northern $ and Sunderland (B)	Houghton-le-Spring $ and Sunderland (B)	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland North and South(B)	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Sunderland Bridge	Northern/Southern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Swalwell	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Blaydon	Blaydon	Blaydon (B)	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead

T

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Tanfield	Northern	Northwestern	Blaydon	Consett	Consett	Derwentside	North Durham	North Durham
The Isle	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Thickley	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Thornley [nr. Kelloe]	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Sedgefield	Easington
Thornley [nr. Wolsingham]	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	Bishop Auckland
Thorpe (Wycliffe)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Thorpe Thewles and Grindon	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton
Thorpe Bulmer	Northern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Hartlepool	Hartlepool	Hartlepool
Thrislington	Southern	Mid-Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Throston	Southern $ and Hartlepools (B) (1867-)	Southeastern $ and Hartlepools (B)	Hartlepools (B)	Hartlepools (B)	Hartlepool (B)	Hartlepool	Hartlepool	Hartlepool
Tow Law	Southern	Barnard Castle	Spennymoor	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	Bishop Auckland
Trimdon	Northern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Trimdon Foundry	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Tudhoe	Southern	Mid-Durham	Spennymoor	Durham	Northwest Durham	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Tunstall	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland (B)	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland

U

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Urpeth	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	North Durham	North Durham
Usworth	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland

W

Township/Parish/Ward	1832 - 1885	1886 - 1915	1918 - 1948	1949 - 1970	1971 - 1974	1975 -2008	2009-2024	2025-
Wackerfield	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Waldridge	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	North Durham	North Durham
Walworth	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Warden Law	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Easington	Easington	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
Washington	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Chester-le-Street	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
West Auckland	Southern	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Wear Valley	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
West Herrington	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Houghton-le-Spring	Sunderland	Sunderland	Sunderland
West Newbiggin	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
West Rainton	Northern	Houghton-le-Spring	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Westerton	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Wear Valley	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Westoe	Northern $ and South Shields (B)	Jarrow $ and South Shields (B)	South Shields (B)	South Shields (B)	South Shields (B)	South Tyneside	South Tyneside	South Tyneside
Westwick	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Wheatley Hill	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Sedgefield	Easington
Whessoe	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Darlington	Darlington	Darlington
Whickham	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Blaydon	Blaydon	Blaydon (B)	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
Whitburn	Northern	Jarrow	Houghton-le-Spring	Jarrow (1949-1954)/ Jarrow (B) (1955-)	Jarrow (B)	South Tyneside	South Tyneside	South Tyneside
Whitton	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton
Whitwell Grange/House	Northern	Mid-Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Whitworth	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Spennymoor	Durham	Durham	Sedgefield	Bishop Auckland	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Whorlton	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Willington	Southern	Mid-Durham	Spennymoor	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	City of Durham
Windlestone	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Wingate	Northern	Southeastern	Seaham	Easington	Easington	Easington	Sedgefield	Easington
Winlaton	Northern	Chester-le-Street	Blaydon	Blaydon	Blaydon (B)	Gateshead	Gateshead	Gateshead
Winston	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Witton Gilbert	Northern	Mid-Durham	Chester-le-Street	Durham	Durham	Durham	Durham	City of Durham
Witton-le-Wear	Southern	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Northwest Durham	Northwest Durham	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	Bishop Auckland
Wolsingham	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Northwest Durham	Easington	Wear Valley	Northwest Durham	Bishop Auckland
Wolviston	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Easington	Stockton	Stockton	Stockton
Woodham	Southern	Southeastern	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Durham	Sedgefield	Sedgefield	Newton Aycliffe and Spennymoor
Woodhouse Close	Southern	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Wear Valley	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Woodland	Southern	Barnard Castle	Barnard Castle	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland
Wycliffe with Thorpe	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Yorkshire (NR)	Teesdale	Bishop Auckland	Bishop Auckland

Some of the electoral areas in the county were parliamentary boroughs rather than county divisions.

Before 1918 these were considered to be part of the county division in which they were geographically located and, consequently, the county electoral registers contain some details of borough voters (noted with $ in the table). However, most borough voters are NOT included in the county division. From 1918 parliamentary boroughs and county divisions were made distinct and thereafter borough voters only appear in the borough electoral registers. The parliamentary boroughs in Durham maintained series of electoral registers which were distinct from those of the county and these are to be found either with the archives of those boroughs or eleswhere as shown below:

Borough	Dates of extant registers	Location
Blaydon	no extant registers	Contact Gateshead Central Library for further information.
Darlington	1919-1973, 2015 to date	Electoral Registration Officer, Darlington Borough Council, Town Hall, Darlington, DL1 5QT 01325 406444 elections@darlington.gov.uk
Durham	1832, 1834, 1836, 1838, 1840, 1842, 1846, 1850, 1852-1855, 1857-1865, 1867	The Story, Durham (Du 1/56/1-36)
Gateshead	1832, 1837, 1842, 1847, 1851, 1918-1939, 1945 to date	Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead
The Hartlepools	1884 to date	Electoral Registration Officer, Hartlepool Borough Council, Civic Centre, Hartlepool, TS24 8AY 01429 266522 customer.service@hartlepool.gov.uk
Hartlepool	1901-1915	Teesside Archives
Hartlepool	1913-1915, 1918-1919, 1924-1927, 1930-1936, 1938, 1946-1948, 1950-1959, 1961, 1963-1967, 1969 to date	Hartlepool Reference Library,
Jarrow	1955-1974	The Word, South Shields
South Shields	1862 to date	The Word, South Shields
Stockton-on-Tees	1901-1915	Teesside Archives,
Stockton-on-Tees	1926, 1936, 1945, 1952 to date	Stockton Reference Library,
Stockton-on-Tees	1948, 1952-1959, 1961-1967	Electoral Registration, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1LD 01642 526196 electoral@stockton.gov.uk
Sunderland	1855 to date (some gaps in 1860s)	Culture House Sunderland, Sunderland

Absent voters lists for Darlington, Gateshead and Hartlepool survive: contact the relevant office above. Absent voters lists for South Shields, Stockton and Sunderland are missing.

North Yorkshire County Record Office holds the electoral registers for Startforth before 1974.

Borough registers and records held elsewhere

Some of the electoral areas in the county were parliamentary boroughs rather than county divisions.

Borough	Dates of extant registers	Location
Blaydon	no extant registers	Contact Gateshead Central Library for further information.
Darlington	1919-1973, 2015 to date	Electoral Registration Officer, Darlington Borough Council, Town Hall, Darlington, DL1 5QT 01325 406444 elections@darlington.gov.uk
Durham	1832, 1834, 1836, 1838, 1840, 1842, 1846, 1850, 1852-1855, 1857-1865, 1867	The Story, Durham (Du 1/56/1-36)
Gateshead	1832, 1837, 1842, 1847, 1851, 1918-1939, 1945 to date	Gateshead Central Library, Gateshead
The Hartlepools	1884 to date	Electoral Registration Officer, Hartlepool Borough Council, Civic Centre, Hartlepool, TS24 8AY 01429 266522 customer.service@hartlepool.gov.uk
Hartlepool	1901-1915	Teesside Archives
Hartlepool	1913-1915, 1918-1919, 1924-1927, 1930-1936, 1938, 1946-1948, 1950-1959, 1961, 1963-1967, 1969 to date	Hartlepool Reference Library,
Jarrow	1955-1974	The Word, South Shields
South Shields	1862 to date	The Word, South Shields
Stockton-on-Tees	1901-1915	Teesside Archives,
Stockton-on-Tees	1926, 1936, 1945, 1952 to date	Stockton Reference Library,
Stockton-on-Tees	1948, 1952-1959, 1961-1967	Electoral Registration, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council, Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1LD 01642 526196 electoral@stockton.gov.uk
Sunderland	1855 to date (some gaps in 1860s)	Culture House Sunderland, Sunderland

Absent voters lists for Darlington, Gateshead and Hartlepool survive: contact the relevant office above. Absent voters lists for South Shields, Stockton and Sunderland are missing.

North Yorkshire County Record Office holds the electoral registers for Startforth before 1974.

Register dates

There are two principal dates associated with each register: the qualifying date for a voter to establish the right to vote in that constituency; and the effective or operative date when the register comes into force. For many purposes, the qualifying date is the most meaningful, since it should establish ownership, occupation or residence at a particular address on or by that date. In our catalogues, and in this guide, we usually quote the operative date (or year); the information contained will usually relate to the situation a couple of months earlier, often in the autumn of the previous year.

Formats of registers

Until 1918, the register entries include the qualification to vote. Also distinguished (from 1878 in boroughs and from 1885 elsewhere) were those entitled to vote in certain classes of election but not in others.

Electors are always listed by polling district, each of which covers a parish, township or sub-division thereof. There may be more than one register per polling district. The records for the polling districts are then bound together into a register for the constituency, division or district.

Age qualification

Normally you had to be aged 21 to vote. The only exceptions to this were military personnel of 19 and 20 at the end of the First World War, and women, for whom the age qualification was 30 from 1918 to 1928.

The age qualification was only reduced to 18 by an act of 1969 (effective in 1971).

Sex qualification

Before 1918, women could only vote in local elections under certain conditions (detailed below) so will not appear on most of the earlier registers.

From 1918 to 1928, women over 30 who were householders or married to householders could vote.

After 1928, men and women are treated equally.

Specific groups disqualified from voting.

Registers will not contain the names of:

aliens, unless naturalised since 1870
male peers (female peers were deemed qualified by the 1918 Representation of the People Act, but were then specifically disqualified by the 1963 Peerage Act, which granted them the right to sit in the House of Lords)
lunatics
those serving as policemen, and for six months thereafter (until 1887)
election agents and others paid to help at elections (until 1918)
those in receipt of public assistance and their spouses and children (until 1918)
postmasters (until 1918)
commissioners and most collectors of government revenues (until 1918)
anyone convicted of bribery at elections (for five years thereafter)
anyone serving a prison sentence
First World War conscientious objectors from 1918 to 1923
any whose names have been omitted from the register, even if they are otherwise qualified to vote

Qualification codes

Registers may contain the following codes indicating qualification to vote:

Code	Qualification meaning
†	Not entitled to vote in local (later, metropolitan borough, urban district, or parish) elections
††	Not entitled to vote in rural district elections
date given	Entitled to vote from that date
a	Absent voter (serving in the armed forces)
BP(Bw)	Business premises qualification (women)
D (Dw)	Spouse's occupation qualification
E	Not entitled to vote in local or parliamentary elections
F	Not entitled to vote in local elections
G	Citizen of Europe, entitled to vote in local elections only
HO	Husband's occupational qualification
J	Eligible for jury service
JS	Special juror (as defined by the Jurors' Act 1870 i.e. esquire or above, bankers, merchants, and anyone owning property of more than a certain value)
K	Citizen of Europe, entitled to vote in local and European elections only
L	Not entitled to vote in parliamentary elections
M	Merchant seamen
N	To be included in the next register as a voter
NM	Naval or military voter
O (Ow)	Occupational qualification (women)
R (Rw)	Residential qualification (women)
S	Service (military) voter
U	Citizen of Europe, entitled to vote in European elections only
X	Not entitled to vote in Parliamentary elections
Y	Entitled to vote in the following year
House successive	If a voter moved during the electoral year, their right to vote could be carried forward to the next address. Noted in the next electoral register as 'house successive' and previous address supplied.

Sources of inaccuracies in the registers

In the early years, registration cost one shilling, and some did not think it worth the price. Some of those otherwise qualified deliberately chose not to register.

Between the qualifying date and the operative date of the register some voters died, and others moved house. Correspondingly, individuals moved into a constituency after the qualifying date, and were unable to register. The 1878 Parliamentary and Municipal Registration Act allowed data to be transferred every quarter from the Registration of deaths to those compiling electoral registers, but this does not seem to have been particularly effective.

Until 1928, voters who were to reach the qualifying age during a register’s currency do not always appear in the register.

Rates had to be paid by the qualifying date in order to gain inclusion on the register. If the rate collector died then late collection was inevitable so those paying rates through a landlord instead of directly to the local authority might not be included.

Results of elections

There is no one place where results of elections can be found, but there are a number of potential sources:

County or town directories may list MPs, councillors and other dignitaries
Newspapers can be a good source of election news
There are comprehensive lists of elected MPs on Wikipedia and other websites
County councillors are listed in the County Council’s yearbooks for 1889-1996 (references: Q/J/L 13/1/1-28 and Q/J/L 13/2/1-41)
Durham City Councillors are listed in Durham City Council’s yearbooks for 1974-2003 (reference: ND/Du 18/1-26)
Lists of local councillors can often be found in council minutes

Understanding information in electoral registers