This Privacy Notice is designed to help you understand how and why Ryedale District Council your personal data in relation to electoral candidates, agents, and subscribers processes. This notice should be read in conjunction with the Council’s Corporate Privacy Notice.
Who are you?
Electoral Registration Officer (ERO) and the Returning Officer at Ryedale District Council are ‘Data Controllers’ as defined by Article 4(7) of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The duties of the ERO are administered by Ryedale District Council.
The ERO, the Returning Officer and the Council have appointed Veritau Ltd to be their Data Protection Officer. Their contact details are:
| Data Protection Officer Veritau Ltd County Hall Racecourse Lane Northallerton DL7 8AL DPA@ryedale.gov.uk // 01609 53 2526 |
What Personal Data of mine do you collect?
For candidates, we collect basic information, such as name, address, qualification to stand for election, date of birth, signature, party affiliation and details of spending. We also collect contact information, such as telephone number and email address, although provision of this is optional.
For agents, we collect basic information, such as name, home and office address, signature and party affiliation. We also collect contact information, such as telephone number and email address, although provision of this is optional.
For subscribers (electors who sign a candidate’s nomination paper), we collect basic information, such as name, elector number, signature and party affiliation.
What is the purpose of collecting my Personal Data?
The Returning Officer is legally obliged to collect this data as part of the processes for nominations of candidates and appointment of agents. The data is then used on statutory notices and on ballot papers. Nomination papers are available to inspect until the close of nominations.
For some types of election, candidates can select to withhold their home address from statutory notices and ballot papers. A home address form is used in these cases.
Election spending returns are also required by law, and are shared with the Electoral Commission and are open to public inspection.
Where contact details are provided, these are only used by the Returning Officer and their staff for communication with you about the election.
Who do you share this data with?
The Returning Officer may share this data with staff within the Council who support the delivery of elections, with the Electoral Commission and with contractors, such as the print firm contracted to produce the ballot papers and the postal vote packs.
How long do you keep this data for?
| Data held | Retention period |
| Nomination papers | 1 year after the election |
| Home address form (where applicable) | 21 days after the election |
| Spending returns | 2 years after the election |
What is your legal basis for processing this data?
The Returning Officer is legally obliged to process your data, under the various legislation and regulations governing the running of elections, in order to prepare for and conduct these elections.
For more information about how we use your data, including your privacy rights and the complaints process, please see our Corporate Privacy Notice.