diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index 4c6a841..2a231b9 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ type Platform struct {
 	AdminToken          string
 	SessionSigningToken string
 	DiscordWebhook      *DiscordWebhook
+	Caching             bool
 }
 
 type DiscordWebhook struct {
@@ -84,6 +85,7 @@ func Get() *Config {
 					URL:      cl.Get("platform.discordWebhook.url").AsString(),
 					ThreadID: cl.Get("platform.discordWebhook.threadID").AsString(),
 				},
+				Caching: cl.WithDefault("platform.caching", true).AsBool(),
 			},
 		}
 
diff --git a/internal/guildScraper/checkMember.go b/internal/guildScraper/checkMember.go
index e7bac89..ce31b1b 100644
--- a/internal/guildScraper/checkMember.go
+++ b/internal/guildScraper/checkMember.go
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import (
 	"log/slog"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
+
+	"github.com/CSSUoB/society-voting/internal/config"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -16,6 +18,24 @@ var (
 )
 
 func GetMember(studentID string) (*GuildMember, error) {
+	conf := config.Get().Platform
+
+	if !conf.Caching {
+		members, err := GetMembersList()
+
+		if err != nil {
+			slog.Warn("failed to pull membership list", "error", err)
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("pull membership list: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		for _, x := range members {
+			if x.ID == studentID {
+				return x, nil
+			}
+		}
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+
 	cachedMembershipListLock.RLock()
 
 	if time.Since(cachedMembershipListLastRefreshed) > time.Minute*5 {