Data Controller
The data controller for elections administered within Norwich is the Norwich Elections Registrations Officer (ERO).
Why do we collect your personal information?
- We have a legal duty to ensure that all eligible persons are registered to vote
- We have a legal duty to ensure the eligibility of prospective election candidates
- To provide all registered electors with the opportunity to participate in any election or referendum for which they are eligible to vote.
What personal information do we collect?
We need your name and address for the electoral register and, in order to verify that you are eligible, we also require your nationality, date of birth, and national insurance number. In some cases we may need you to provide further evidence in order to verify your identity, such as a passport, driving licence or certificate of marriage. If you request a postal or proxy vote we may ask you to provide your reasons for this.
If you are standing as a candidate for election we need your name, address and date of birth, and those of your nominators/agents.
Whether you are registering to vote or standing for election, we also collect email addresses and telephone numbers as these help us to communicate quickly and effectively with you. In accordance with the GDPR, you are under no obligation to provide these, and can ask us to delete your email address or telephone number at any time.
What is the legal basis for our collection and use your personal information?
Other than your email address and telephone number, for which your consent is required, our grounds for collecting and using your personal information fall under Article 6(1) (e) of the General Data Protection Regulation, as being necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the data controller. The statutory provisions which provide the foundation for this legal basis are:
- Representation of the People Act 1983
- Representation of the People Act 1985
- Representation of the People Act 2000
- European Parliamentary Elections (franchise of Relevant Citizens of the Union) Regulations 2001
- Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001
- Electoral Administration Act 2006
- Local Elections (principal areas) (England and Wales) Rules 2006
- Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013
Do we share your personal information?
We are legally obliged to provide copies of the full electoral register to specific organisations and individuals. Details of these can be found on the Electoral Commission website
In order to verify your identity your personal information will be shared with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Cabinet Office. View the Register to Vote Privacy Policy for further explanation of this process.
If you opt to be included in the Open Register your register information can legally be shared with anyone who requests it.
We are legally obliged to make the full electoral register available for public inspection. This will only happen by appointment at Norwich City Hall, and under supervision. Anyone inspecting the register can make notes but cannot take copies or photos of the register.
If we hold your email address or telephone number, these are not included in either the Open or the Full versions of the register.
We do use contracted software providers and printers, who must themselves comply with the requirements of GDPR and act only as authorised and instructed by us.
Will any decisions made about me be automated?
Elections officers are involved in the processing and verification of all registrations and candidate nominations.
How long do we keep your personal information for?
We will keep documents which contain your personal information only for as long as is necessary to determine your application. Following this they will be destroyed in a secure manner. We keep electronic registration information for as long as you remain the register, following which the information will be deleted.
For election candidates we are legally obliged to keep nomination papers for no longer than 12 months after an election before they are securely destroyed. We are legally required to keep candidate election expense records for no more than 2 years from the date on which the expenses are received. There are also requirements around the retention of home address forms provided by candidates standing in General Elections.
Making Subject Access Requests or raising concerns about your personal information
You have the right to ask to see information that we hold about you. Requests must be made in writing using the request your personal information form.
If you are concerned about how the ERO may be handling your personal information you may contact our data protection officer by emailing DPO@norwich.gov.uk
