Who is the Data Controller for the information I provide?
The Electoral Registration Officer is the Data Controller for Electoral Registration and the Returning Officer is the Data Controller for Elections.
What about the Voter Authority Certificate scheme?
Find out how we will process your personal data provided as part of the Voter Authority Certificate application [https://voter-authority-certificate.service.gov.uk/privacy#your-data].
Why we are collecting your data
The Electoral Registration Officer is a data controller and collects the personal data you provide for the purpose of registering your right to vote. You need to be registered to be able to vote in any election or referendum for which you are eligible. We have a duty to maintain a complete and accurate register throughout the year. We will only collect the personal data we need from you, in order to do this. In order to register to vote your identity must be verified. 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 Department of Work and Pensions and the Cabinet Office suppliers that are data processors for the Individual Electoral Registration Digital Service. Read the Gov.Uk Register to Vote privacy notice. [https://www.registertovote.service.gov.uk/register-to-vote/privacy]
What is the legal process for collecting this data?
We do this as a legal obligation to comply with the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 and Representation of the People Regulations 2001. This ensures you are registered to vote in any election or referendum for which you are eligible. The law makes it compulsory to provide information to an electoral registration officer for inclusion in the full register.
What information do we collect about you?
We keep records about potential and actual electors, voters, citizens, candidates and their agents, staff employed on elections. These may be written down, or kept on computer.
These records may include:
- Your name, address, nationality and date of birth
- Contact details
- Unique identifiers (such as national insurance number),
- Signatures for absent vote checking.
- Scanned application forms, documentary evidence, 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 16/17
- Whether you have chosen to opt out of the open version of the register
Do I have to provide this information and what will happen if I don’t?
This information must be supplied to maintain the electoral register and for the purpose of administering an election.
Who will your information be shared with?
The information you provide is held in electoral registers which are managed by electoral registration officers who, using information received, keep two registers – the full electoral register and the open (edited) register.
The full register is published once a year and is updated every month and can only be supplied to the following people and organisations:
- British Library
- National Library of Wales
- National Library of Scotland
- Returning Officer for local government election
- UK Statistical Authority
- The Electoral Commission
- Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England
- Local Government Boundary Commission for England
- Jury Central Summoning Bureau
- Elected Representatives (MPs, MEPs, Local Councillors, Parish Councillors, Combined Authority Mayor)
- Police and Crime Commissioner
- Candidates standing for election
- Local constituency parties
- Registered political parties
- The Council who appointed the ERO
- Parish councils
- Police Forces, National Crime Agency
- Public Library or local authority archive services
- Government departments or bodies
- Credit reference agencies
- National Fraud Initiative
We also share your information with our Software providers and contracted printers.
It is a crime for anyone who has a copy of the full register to pass information from this register on to others, if they do not have a lawful reason to see it.
Anyone can inspect the full electoral register.
- Inspection of the register takes place under supervision
- Extracts from the register can only be by hand written notes
- Information taken must not be used for direct marketing purposes, in accordance with data protection legislation, unless it has been published in the open register
- Anyone who fails to observe these conditions is committing a criminal offence and will be charged a penalty of up to £5,000.
The open register contains the same information as the full register, but is not used for elections or referendums. It is updated and published every month and can be sold to any person, organisation or company for a wide range of purposes. It is used by businesses and charities for checking names and address details, users of the register include direct marketing firms and also online directory firms.
You can choose whether or not to have your personal details included in the open version of the register, however, they will be included unless you ask for them to be removed. Removing your details from the open register [https://www.coventry.gov.uk/info/8/elections_and_voting/765/registering_to_vote/7] will not affect your right to vote.
How long will we keep your information?
The Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer are obliged to process your personal data in relation to preparing for and conducting elections. Your details will be kept and updated in accordance with our legal obligations and in line with statutory retention periods.
How will my information be stored?
The information is stored on the Electoral Management System, supplied by express.
Will this information be used to take automated decisions about me?
No
Will my data be transferred abroad and why?
No
What rights do I have when it comes to my data?
You are entitled to request a copy of any information about you that we hold. Any such requests must be made in writing.
If the information we hold about you is inaccurate you have a right to have this corrected and you have the right to request completion of incomplete data.
You have the right to request that we stop, or restrict the processing of your personal data, in certain circumstances. Where possible we will seek to comply with your request, but we may be required to hold or process information to comply with a legal requirement.
If you are dissatisfied with how the councils have used your personal information you have a right to complain to the councils Data Protection Officer and the Information Commissioner’s Office at casework@ico.org.uk [mailto:%20casework@ico.org.uk]
Withdrawal of consent
Where personal data is processed on the basis of consent, you will have the right to withdraw that consent. However the Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer process personal data that it is necessary to do so in order to comply with our legal obligations and to enable us to perform tasks carried out in the public interest.
Contact us
Liz Read, Electoral Services Manager
electoral.services@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:electoral.services@coventry.gov.uk]
Complaints
You have the right to submit a complaint if you are unhappy with the way your request is handled or disagree with a decision made by the council regarding your data. In these circumstances you can contact the Data Protection Team (DPO) and request a review of the decision. DPOTeam@coventry.gov.uk [mailto:DPOTeam@coventry.gov.uk]
If you are not satisfied with any outcome from the DPO you may wish to apply to the Information Commissioner's Office at:
The Information Commissioner's Office,
Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
Wilmslow,
Cheshire,
SK9 5AF.
Date of last review: February 2023