Elections Privacy Notices

This privacy notice explains how  Electoral Services collects, uses and protects any personal information that you give to us.

This privacy notice should be read alongside our Corporate Privacy Notice.

Why we collect information about you

The Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) and Returning Officer (RO) are data controllers who collect and use information about residents to enable us to carry out specific functions for which we are statutorily responsible.

We keep records about potential and actual electors, voters, citizens, candidates and their agents, staff employed at an election and the people we need to pay. These may be written down or kept on a computer.

These records may include:

• basic details about you – for example, your name, address, date of birth and nationality
• unique identifiers (such as your NI number)
• scanned application forms & dates of any letters of correspondence
• notes about any relevant circumstances that you have told us
• your previous or any redirected address
• the other occupants in your home
• if you are over 76 or under 18
• whether you have chosen to opt out of the Open version of the Register of Electors

We will, based on your nationality, include your name on the Electoral Register so that you are able to vote.

It is important that our records are accurate and up-to-date as they will help make sure that our staff are able to provide you with the help, advice or support you need.

How long will we keep it for?

The Electoral Registration Officer & Returning Officer need to process your personal data in order to prepare for and conduct elections. Your details will be kept and updated in accordance with our legal obligations and in line with statutory retention periods and the periods in our retention schedule.

Occasions when your information needs to be shared

• with our printers and software providers, to compile and manage the register, to print your poll cards, postal vote packs and other electoral material
• with registered political parties, elected representatives, candidates, agents and other permitted participants who can use it for electoral purposes only
• with Credit reference agencies, the British Library, UK Statistics Authority, the Electoral Commission and other statutory recipients of the Electoral Register
• details of whether you have voted (but not how you have voted) with those who are entitled in law to receive it after an election
• where the health and safety of others is at risk
• to check and validate details provided against other local and national databases to verify registration details, such as the National Data Test
• when the law requires us to pass on information under special circumstances, crime prevention or the detection of fraud as part of the National Fraud Initiative

We are required by law to report certain information to appropriate authorities; for example:

• where a formal court order has been issued
• for the prevention or detection of a crime
• to the Jury Central Summoning Bureau indicating those persons who are aged 76 or over and are no longer eligible for jury service

Partner organisations

The process of checking citizens’ personal identifiers to ensure eligibility for inclusion in the Electoral Register is overseen by the Cabinet Office via the IER Digital Service.

The Department for Work and Pensions use registration data to verify the identity of new applicants, and the Cabinet Office will inform local authorities when people have moved out of their area.

The Open Register

If your details are in the Open version of the Electoral Register, your name and address can be sold to third parties who may use it for any purpose. The law requires that we make the Open Register available for sale.

You can opt out of this version of the register at any time by emailing [email protected]

Can I see my records?

The Data Protection Act 2018 allows you to find out what information is held about you, on paper and computer records. This is known as ‘right of subject access’ and applies to your Electoral Services records along with all other personal records.

If you wish to see a copy of your records you should contact the Data Protection Officer. You are entitled to receive a copy of your records free of charge, within a month.

In certain circumstances access to your records may be limited; for example, if the records you have asked for contain information relating to another person.

Do I have other rights?

The Data Protection Act 2018 allows you other rights; for example, if there is an error in your records you have the right to make sure it is rectified or erased.

You have the right to be told if we have made a mistake whilst processing your data and we will report breaches to the Commissioner.

Further information

If you wish to raise a complaint on how we have handled your personal data, you can contact us at [email protected] to have the matter investigated. If you are not satisfied with our response or believe we are not processing your personal data in accordance with the law you can complain to the Data Protection Officer.

By submitting your application, complaint or enquiry you acknowledge that you have read and understood the specific Data Privacy Notices attached to your specific application, complaint or enquiry and how your data will be used.

If you have any complaint, enquiry or feedback about data protection please contact the Data Protection Officer:

By email: [email protected] or [email protected]
By telephone: 01604 838536
By post: The Data Protection Officer, Northampton Borough Council, The Guildhall, St Giles Square, Northampton, NN1 1DE

Changes to this privacy notice

We will review this privacy notice to ensure it remains relevant. The current version of our privacy notice will always be on our website www.northampton.gov.uk/privacynotices. Please check this page regularly to keep up to date with any changes.