What information do we collect from you?

We keep records of potential and actual electors, voters, citizens, candidates and their agents and staff currently and previously employed by the elections office. These may be written records, or stored electronically.

These records may include:

  • Name, address, date of birth and nationality
  • Contact details (telephone numbers and email addresses)
  • Unique identifiers (such as National Insurance Numbers), signatures for absent vote checking
  • Scanned application forms, documentary evidence, copies of correspondence received and sent
  • Notes about relevant circumstances that you have told us about
  • Your previous or redirected address
  • Other occupants in your household
  • If you are over 76 or under 18
  • Whether you have opted out of appearing on the open version of the register
  • Staff employed by the elections office only – employment history and relevant notes about performance

As part of our duties, we may be required to collect sensitive personal information. For example, under the General Dara Protection Regulation (GDPR) nationality is categorised as special category data. This is because it may reveal a person’s racial or ethnic origin. Applications to register anonymously, and some information obtained when recruiting staff is also categorised as special category data.

As part of the nomination process for an election, a person’s political affiliation may also be recorded, and as part of the proxy voting application process, certain information about a person’s health may also be captured. These also class as special category data.

As part of our duty to conduct elections and referendums, we are also required to collect additional information to assist in this function.

This includes:

  • Whether you have voted at a particular election or referendum, the method of voting (whether it was at a polling station or by post), but not how or for whom you voted
  • Information about candidates – this may include name, home address, place of work and employer, details of any land owned or occupied by the candidate, date of birth and party affiliation (if any)
  • Information about agents – this may include name, home and office address, party affiliation and contact details
  • Expenditure incurred and/or donations received as declared on Candidate’s Spending returns
  • Name and signature of anyone proposing, seconding or assenting to a candidate’s nomination
  • Name, address and signature if you have acted as a witness to a Candidate’s consent to nomination
     
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