This collection relates to the Electors' Union and the European Elected Members Organisation. Neither of these organisations were a political party. The European Elected Members Organisation was a descendent of the Reform Party, founded by Lord Delamere in 1921 in an attempt to bring government expenditure into line with the country's own financial resources. The Reform Party became the Elected Members Organisation with, in 1929, Lord Delamere as its Chairman. Upon his death in 1951, he was succeeded by Lord Francis Scott, and it is probably through him that there are some papers on the Indian Question and on constitutional development dating from the 1920s and 1930s, though the main body of the collection covers the years 1944 to 1956.

The Elected Members were for a long time a minority in the Kenya Legislative Council and found it necessary to combine in order to make the views of their constituents known to the Governor and the Official Members of the Council. This tended to place them permanently in 'opposition' although they were not bound by a fixed policy. In 1948, the Legislative Council obtained its first unofficial, multi-racial majority, brought about by the college of delegates system of appointing Africans to the Legislative Council. At this time, Ernest Vasey took a leading part in the formation of the Unofficial Members Organisation; this included Elected Members of all races. At this time, the Elected Members Organisation added European to its title. Later still, in 1955, it changed its name to European Elected Members Association but soon reverted to the definition of Organisation.

The Electors' Union was formed at the beginning of 1944 by the joining together of the new organisations in the constituencies that had sprung up because of the impending general election. This was at a time when the Convention of Associations was in abeyance and no longer considered to be representing the interests of the settlers in Kenya. The Electors' Union proposed to act as a forum in which the needs and interests of the electors could be discussed, to make them known to the government through the Union's Central Office and to ensure that the Europeans exercised their right to vote for members of the Legislative Council.

By May 1944, the Executive Committee members of the Electors' Union were suggesting that Sir Robert Shaw should act as liaison officer with the Kenya Association (1952) and that one of its members should be invited to attend the General Purposes Committee meetings of the Electors' Union. At the same time, a similar liaison was being arranged with the newly Elected Members of the Elected Members Organisation; Mr Vincent, later Sir Alfred Vincent, was appointed the Electors' Union liaison member on 1 Jun. The Kenya Guardian, which was the mouthpiece of the Union, was already in existence.

Though the Electors Union was proposing to work in close collaboration with the Elected Members Organisation, its members agreed that they could not dictate to the Elected Members on matters of policy. Sir Robert Shaw was, therefore, asked to draw up a 'charter' or constitution for the Union, to be submitted to the Elected Members Organisation for discussion and possible emendations before publication. The first draft of this constitution was read to the Electors' Union in Aug 1944, but Shaw had to prepare seven other drafts that had to be discussed before the contents of the final draft for publication was agreed to in Jan 1946. Although the Electors' Union was anxious for complete inter-communication with the European Elected Members Organisation, the latter, because of the greater responsibility it incurred, was reluctant to commit itself to this extent. Consequently, in Dec 1944, it was laid down that the liaison officer of the Electors' Union should attend only those meetings of the Elected Members Organisation for which it had been sent an agenda. In 1950, a permanent coordinating committee was established to regulate the way in which the two bodies could work together.

The Electors' Union placed its office and secretariat at the disposal of the Elected Members; in return, the Elected Members Organisation contributed towards the Secretary's salary. Under the terms of the constitution, the Electors' Union committed itself to approaching the government only through the Elected Members and to supporting them; also, through the Central Office, acting as one means of bringing the problems of the constituents to the notice of the Elected Members. However, they made it quite clear that they did not consider that the Electors' Union should be a substitute for personal contact with the constituents. While the relationship between these two bodies was being discussed, it was suggested, in 1947-1948, that the old Convention of Associations should amalgamate with the Electors Union, but this idea was not considered feasible. Talk of amalgamation between the Electors' Union and the European Elected Members Organisation continued throughout the early 1950s though the Electors' Union constantly stipulated that it should be accomplished in such a way that the Union should maintain its identity and thus continue to fulfil its particular function. In 1952, Michael Blundell suggested that the name adopted for such an amalgamation should be the United Kenya Party. This question of amalgamation was repeatedly shelved, first because of the Emergency and then because of the split within the European Elected Members Organisation caused by the formation of the United Country Party and the Federal Independence Party.

The Electors' Union tried to remain aloof from these political differences; in 1955, its aim was still to present and discuss the views of all Europeans in the constituencies. At the same time, its name was changed to European Union. With the growth of political parties within the Legislative Council, this became increasingly difficult until, in 1956, Wilfrid Havelock suggested that it would be more truly representative if it reverted to the old Convention of Associations. In 1957, when it was obvious that the European Union was dying, Havelock revived the Convention of Associations; this continued to meet until 1963.

Despite the formation of separate political groups in Apr 1959, it was still considered important that the European Elected Members Organisation should meet as a whole to discuss those problems that were the concern of all' groups, though each group would meet separately to consider its particular interests. This, however, was the beginning of the end; although there is no mention in the minutes of the intention of the European Elected Members Organisation to close down, there are no records, either minutes or correspondence or subject files, after Jun 1960. Like the European Union, the European Elected Members Organisation disappeared with the development of party politics in Kenya.