Electoral Register Privacy Notice

The electoral register, sometimes called the 'electoral roll', lists the names and addresses of everyone who's registered to vote.

We use information about customers, electors and voters to enable us to carry out functions for which the Electoral Registration Officer and Council are responsible and to provide you with a number of statutory services. We keep records about potential and actual electors and voters. These may be written down as manual records, or kept on a computer as electronic records. If you don't provide us with this information then you won't be able to vote and you may be breaking the law.

To verify your identity when you register to vote, the data you provide will be processed by the Individual Electoral Registration digital service managed by the Cabinet Office. As part of this process, your data will be shared with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Cabinet Office. View the government's privacy notice to see how they process your personal data.

Voter Authority Certificates (VACs)

From Thursday, 4 May 2023 onwards, you will need an accepted identification document, with your photo on it, to vote at polling stations. If you don't have one that is on the list of accepted photo ID documents such as a driving licence or passport, you will be able to apply for a Voter Authority Certificate which will allow you to vote on the day. You can find more information about this at the Voter Authority Certificate website.

The Elections Act 2022 and associated regulations require the ERO to process and issue Voter Authority Certificates (VACs), Temporary VACs and Anonymous Elector Documents (AEDs).

Applications are processed through an online portal developed and hosted by the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). You can find more information about how they process your personal data at the Voter Authority Certificate website – Privacy.

The VACs are printed at a government-procured central printer and dispatched via Royal Mail. The Temporary VACs and AEDs are printed and dispatched directly by the ERO.

We collect personal information to make sure that we can carry out our work. The personal information we collect includes:

• Name.
• Age and date of birth.
• Address.
• Gender.
• Marital status.
• Unique identifiers such as your National Insurance number.
• Information we may need if you are a service, overseas or crown servant voter for example, the type of service you are in.
• Notes about any relevant circumstances that you have told us.
• Your previous or any redirected addresses.
• The other occupants in your home.
• Nationality - which could identify race and ethnic origin.
• Health data which may be contained within applications to vote by proxy.
• Criminal convictions and offences for applications for postal votes or to vote anonymously.

When we collect personal information it may be about:

• Individuals.
• Customers.
• Applicants.

We use your personal information to:

• Undertake statutory obligations and requirements.
• Maintain accounts and records.
• Aid with crime prevention and prosecution.
• Enforce regulatory powers.
• Commission services.
• Process applications, requests and appeals.
• Undertake investigations and audits.
• Maintain the electoral register.
• Enable eligible persons to stand as candidates in elections.

We're required by law to ensure that all residents register to vote. This is detailed in legislation and guidance including:

• Local Government Act 1972 and 2003
• Representation of the People Act 1983, 1985 and 2000
• European Parliamentary Elections (franchise of Relevant Citizens of the Union) Regulations 2001
• Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001
• Electoral Administration Act 2006
• Representation of the People (Provision of Information Regarding Proxies) Regulations 2013
• Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013
• Representation of the People (Supply of Information) Regulations 2014

We're allowed to process personal and sensitive data for the following reasons under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Articles and the Data Protection Act:

• To comply with a legal obligation.
• For a public task or statutory function.
• Substantial public interest.

We collect information from and disclose information to individuals and organisations that can support our work or have a legitimate reason to use the information including:

• The Electoral Registration Officer or Returning Officer.
• Council departments.
• Other public bodies and authorities such as The Cabinet Office via the Individual Electoral Registration digital service and The Department for Work and Pensions.
• The Electoral Commission.
• Law enforcement and prosecuting agencies.
• Ombudsman and regulatory bodies.
• Service providers such as printers to print your poll cards, postal packs and other electoral material.
• Elected members.
• Affected parties such as election candidates or political parties where this is allowed.

• Elections

Contact the team