- Who are we and what services do we provide?
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The Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) and their staff are responsible for electoral registration and the annual canvass. The ERO is personally responsible for ensuring that data protection legislation is complied with and is registered as a separate Data Controller.
- What personal information do we collect?
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We collect and process the following information to produce a complete and accurate electoral register.
- Identity data [name, address, data of birth]
- Contact details [email address, telephone number]
- Nationality
- Unique identifiers [National Insurance number, signature, passport, driving licence]
- Application forms [dates and copies of any correspondence sent or received]
- Previous address [previous or redirected addresses]
- Occupants of your household [other individuals that are living with you]
- Your preferences [on whether you wish to be excluded from the open version of the register]
- Whether you have voted [But not how you have voted]
We collect and process the following information to process applications for a postal or proxy vote
- Identity data [name, address, data of birth]
- Proxy or postal vote status [including the reasons this is required and verification of the right to vote of potential proxies]
We collect and process the following information to check the eligibility to stand as a candidate in an election
- Identity data [name, address, data of birth]
- Contact details [email address, telephone number]
- Nationality
- Unique identifiers [National Insurance number, signature, passport, driving licence]
We collect and process the following information to check eligibility to nominate candidates for election
- Identity data [name, address]
- Contact details [email address, telephone number]
We collect and process the following information for the purposes of employing staff (for both electoral registration and elections purposes)
- Identity data [name, address, data of birth]
- Contact details [email address, telephone number]
- Nationality
- Unique identifiers [National Insurance number, signature, passport, driving licence]
- Application forms
- Bank details
We either collect this data directly from the data subject or from the Local Authority. Specifically, we use council tax and benefits data to help us maintain accurate records and contact individuals.
- What lawful basis is engaged?
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Our lawful basis for the above purposes is as follows.
- Public task - we need to collect or use your information to carry out a task laid down in law, which the law intends to be performed by an organisation such as ours. Specifically, we are required by Representation of the People Act to process applications, maintain the register of electors and administer the election in accordance with the rules. All your data protection rights may apply, except the right to erasure and the right to portability.
- Legal Obligation - we must collect or use the information so we can comply with the law, and we have little to no discretion on how we do that. For example, we need to process data for employment and payroll purposes. All your data protection rights may apply, except the right to erasure, the right to object and the right to data portability.
- Who has access to your personal data?
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Our processors use your data to provide us with services necessary to meet our objectives. We ensure that there are appropriate agreements in place to protect your data and it is only processed under our instruction.
- Civica - Electoral registration and elections management systems and automated canvass response systems
- Our printing contractor will also use your information but only on our instructions and only for electoral registration and elections purposes.
- Who do we share data with?
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Sometimes, to enable the functions set out, we need to share the information that you give us in order to check your eligibility to register, either with other departments within Runnymede Borough Council, or the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP). We are also required to share your information with the Electoral Registration Officers of other Authorities if you move into or out of the Runnymede Borough area.
The full version of the electoral register must, by law, be made available for public inspection and must be provided to the bodies and individuals listed in the link below
To verify your identity, 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 DWP and the Cabinet Office suppliers that are data processors for the Individual Electoral Registration Digital Service.
You can find more information about this here: https://www.registertovote.service.gov.uk/register-to-vote/privacy
Sometimes we are required by law to share information with other authorities, organisations or people. This would be for the prevention or detection of crime, or because of legal proceedings, for example.
We are required by law to share the data about whether you have voted (but not how you have voted) to those entitled in law to receive this information after an election.
We are required by law to share the data about who is on the register and whether they are under 18 or over 76 with the Jury Central Summoning Bureau.
Unless you choose to "opt out" of your name appearing on the "open" register, it will appear on the "open" register, copies of which must, by law, be provided to any person or body on the payment of a statutory fee.
Staff employed by the Returning Officer for an election may have their contact details shared with Runnymede Borough Council Officers, or other employees of the Returning Officer, to facilitate communication prior to and during the election, to ensure right to work checks are completed and to facilitate payments. We may also request and store name and contact information of staff's emergency contacts, for health and safety reasons.
Staff employed by the Electoral Registration Officer in relation to canvassing will have their details shared with Runnymede Borough Council Officers to ensure right to work checks are completed and to facilitate payments. Anyone who received information from us is under a legal duty to keep it confidential.
- How do we protect personal data?
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Please see the ‘How we take care of your personal data’ section of our main Privacy Policy.
- How long do we keep your personal data?
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We are required to keep all registers that are on our software system (Civica) to allow us to identify overseas voter’s eligibility.
We check every three years that the information we hold on individuals who have worked for elections and canvassing is still accurate and they want their information to be kept.
We keep a record of the following information for 1 year.
- who has voted (not who they voted for),
- who applied for a proxy or postal vote and
- anyone who has registered or been invited to vote,
- information on those standing for election
- Your rights
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Rights available are directly related to our lawful basis for processing which is set out above.
To find out more about your rights please see the ‘Your Rights’ section of our main Privacy Policy.