Elections privacy notice

This Privacy Notice is designed to help you understand how and why Ryedale District Council’s Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer process your personal data. 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:

What Personal Data of mine do you collect?

We collect information about you which could include:

• Basic identification details such as name, address, date of birth, and nationality;
• Unique Identifiers such as National Insurance Number and signature;
• Scanned application forms and the dates of any correspondence or letters;
• Notes about any relevant circumstances that you have told us about;
• Details and records about the service you have received;
• Any previous or redirected address;
• The other occupants in your home.

What is the purpose of collecting my Personal Data?

The ERO is legally obliged to collect this data to produce an Electoral Register.  The Electoral Register is then used by the Returning Officer to facilitate the running of elections.

If you do not provide the ERO with the requested information then you may not be able to vote and you may be breaking the law (as it is a legal obligation to register).

The ERO will include your name on the Electoral Register so that you are able to vote by your chosen method. The Electoral Register is a public document that can be viewed by appointment and under strict control

Who do you share this data with?

The ERO will share the collected information with the Council’s Returning Officer, who is responsible for running the elections, and the Council, who support the administration of the election.

In addition your information may also be shared as follows:

• To verify your identity when you register and to check whether you may still be resident at the start of the annual canvass of households, 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. You can find more information about this here.
• With our contracted printers in order to print and post your Poll Cards, Postal Packs, and other election material;
• With registered political parties, elected representatives, candidates and their agents, and other permitted participants who are able to 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) to those who are entitled by law to received it after an election.

How long do you keep this data for?

The ERO, the Returning Officer, and the Council will keep your data for as long as is required by various legislation that governs the Elections process.

This will differ depending on the type of information and the type of election.

What is your lawful basis for processing this data?

The ERO is legally obliged to process your personal data and your special category personal data in order to produce an electoral register, for use by the Returning Officer to prepare for and conduct elections. This is stipulated in the various legislation and regulations governing the Electoral Register and the running of elections.

For more information about how the Council, the ERO and the Returning Officer use your data, including your privacy rights and the complaints process, please see our Corporate Privacy Notice.