If you were wondering where your ancestors lived you can search the NSW Electoral Rolls at the State Library of New South Wales. We hold NSW Electoral Rolls from 1842 to 2008. The years 1842 to 1864 can be found on microfiche,
1859 to 1900 are on microfilm in cabinets and 1903 to 2008 are on microfiche on the Family History shelves, Lower Ground 2, of the Marie Bashir Reading Room. Ask at the Family History Service Desk for directions on how to find and search them.
To search the earlier rolls to 1989 you have to have an idea of where they lived as the names are listed alphabetically in suburbs in the Electorate Districts. From 1990 to 2008 the rolls are in alphabetical order and are easier to search.
Women were entitled to vote in the 1902 for NSW and Federal Elections so they may appear in the 1903 Electoral Rolls. Other states have different dates.
A person’s occupation was listed up until the 1984 on the the roll. Also up until 1972 you had to be 21 years of age and over to vote but in 1973 the age was lowered to 18 years old.
The State Library also hold Electoral Rolls for other states and some for New Zealand. Click here for the link to what we hold.
Ancestry.com have partial years at the moment. For NSW they have digitised most years between 1930 to 1980.
