You can access historical Western Australian electoral rolls in the Library in online, microfiche and print formats. Please contact the AEC (Australian Electoral Commission) regarding current electoral rolls.

Electoral rolls online

Online access to Western Australian electoral rolls is provided through two eResources:

  • Ancestry (Library Edition) (1903-1980)  - Visit the eResources portal, click the Browse eResources tab and search for 'Ancestry'.
  • FindMyPast (1939, 1943 & 1949 only)  - Visit the eResources portal, click the Browse eResources tab and search for 'Find my past'.

These can be accessed in the National Library of Australia building.

Electoral rolls on microfiche/film

Western Australian electoral rolls on microfiche are available from 1903 in the general electoral rolls microfiche cabinet:

  • 1903, 1905, 1906, 1909
  • 1910, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919
  • 1920, 1921, 1922, 1925, 1926, 1928, 1929
  • 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939
  • 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949
  • 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953,1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959
  • 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969
  • 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979
  • 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1988,1989
  • 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
  • 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

Electoral rolls in print

The Library holds many of the original printed WA electoral rolls which are bound according to year and electoral division. These are not held on open access but must be requested for use via the Library's catalogue. All but the latest year held (2009) are stored offsite at the Library's Hume warehouse. As the rolls are also available on microfiche on open access in the Newspapers and Family History zone it is recommended that these rolls be accessed instead of the print.

You can locate entries for the WA electoral rolls in the Library's catalogue using the following exact terms, including quotation marks, in a search:

"voting registers - western australia - periodicals"

DID YOU KNOW?

Western Australia is the only State which continues to maintain its own State electoral roll, independant of the Commonwealth electoral roll.

Old Men's Depot, Perth - electoral roll

Detail from Roll of Electors who vote at the Old Men's Depot, Division of Perth. 1903.

Australian Electoral Commission.  1903,  [Electoral roll] WA [microform] / Aust. Electoral Commission

Not sure where to start?

Ask a librarian

The National Library of Australia acknowledges Australia’s First Nations Peoples – the First Australians – as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land and gives respect to the Elders – past and present – and through them to all Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Cultural Notification

Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website contains a range of material which may be considered culturally sensitive including the records of people who have passed away.

ENTER SITE