Electoral Roll Opt Out Figures On The Rise

Leading database marketing company EuroDirect has revealed the latest opt-out figures from the 2004 Electoral Roll, which have indicated a rise in opt-out levels. Interim analysis has highlighted that an average of 26% of individuals have opted out, compared to 2003's figure of 20.9%.

Leading database marketing company EuroDirect has revealed the latest opt-out figures from the 2004 Electoral Roll, which have indicated a rise in opt-out levels. Interim analysis has highlighted that an average of 26% of individuals have opted out, compared to 2003's figure of 20.9%.

There has been increased fear across the industry regarding the pre-ticking of opt-outs by local authorities. But this new analysis will help alleviate some of these worries by presenting the facts derived from the actual data received from the authorities. Analysis of the Electoral Rolls processed to date indicate the best and worst local authorities to be as highlighted below:

Top 5 Worst Offending Local Authority Areas So Far:

Areas So Far:

Although the percentage increase looks small compared to industry concerns, the 2004 opt-out rate equates to a further 2.75million individuals opting out from the previous year.

John Dobson, Managing Director of EuroDirect comments:
"The 2004 opt-out is not as bad as many feared, but it's obviously not good either. We can see an upward trend in data loss which shows that the industry still needs to be aware of the importance of supplementing the Electoral Roll with other data sources to maintain access to the consumer universe. If you're using the Electoral Roll as your primary source, it's going to be 26% less effective overall and significantly more in specific geographical regions."