Privacy Notice for Elections and electoral registration

Elections and electoral registration

Who do we hold personal information about ?

People who are on the Council’s electoral register and those who apply to be included in the electoral register
People who have a postal or proxy vote and those who apply to have one
People who stand for election in Hyndburn (e.g. people who stand for election to Hyndburn Council, or to represent Hyndburn on Lancashire County Council or to be the MP for the Hyndburn Parliamentary constituency)
People who make a complaint about an electoral or electoral registration matter

What types of personal information do we hold ?

We will collect and use the following types of personal information:

For the electoral register:

Your name and address
Your elector number
Your date of birth

For postal votes:

Your name and address
Your date of birth
Your signature
Your national insurance number
Additional information you have supplied to us if we have to make additional identity checks e.g. birth certificate, marriage certificate, driving licence, financial statements such as bank statements or credit card statements, utility bills, P45, P60)

For proxy votes:

Your name and address
Your date of birth
Your national insurance number
The name and address of your proxy
Additional information you have supplied to us if we have to make additional identity checks e.g. birth certificate, marriage certificate, driving licence, financial statements such as bank statements or credit card statements, utility bills, P45, P60)

For the registration of overseas electors:

Your name and address
Your national insurance number
Your date of birth
Additional information you have supplied to us if we have to make additional identity checks e.g. birth certificate, marriage certificate, driving licence, financial statements such as bank statements or credit card statements, utility bills, P45, P60)

For all of the above, this is usually information you will have supplied to us.

For candidates for election :

Your name and address, telephone number and email address
Your elector number
The name, address and elector numbers of those nominating you
Details of previous addresses or business address if relevant
Contact details for your agent if you have one (such as name, address, telephone number, email address)
Your date of birth

This is usually information you and / or your agent will have supplied to us

For complainants:

Your contact details (such as name, address, telephone number, email address) and those of any witnesses
Details of your complaint

This is usually information you will have supplied to us.

What types of special categories of personal information do we hold ?

We will collect and use the following types of personal information:

For candidates for election:

Details of the political party you represent if relevant

This is usually information you will have supplied to us.

What do we use personal information for ?

To process applications for postal or proxy votes
To run elections – e.g to print ballot papers and make candidate information available online
To compile and update the electoral register
To investigate complaints in respect of election or electoral registration matters

What is the legal basis for the use of personal information ?

We will process your personal information (including special categories of personal information) in accordance with our obligations under the Data Protection Act 2018. In particular, we will use your personal information:

With your consent; and / or
Where this is necessary to perform a task in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the Council; and / or
To protect your vital interests or those of another person.

We will use your information in connection with our powers and duties under the legislation and regulations relating to the running of elections and compilation of the electoral register e.g Representation Of The People Acts and Elections Act 2022.

Who might we share your personal information with ?

Sometimes we will share your personal information with other agencies in order to perform a task in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in us.

For example, we may share your personal information:

With the Police in connection with an investigation into alleged criminal offences; and
With the Home Office in respect of election expenses claims (in the case of candidates for election);
With the public in respect of nomination papers are these are open to public inspection by law (in the case of candidates for election);
With the Department for Work and Pensions in connection with applications for postal or proxy votes (we are required by law to supply your name, address, date of birth and national insurance number so that a statutory identification check can be carried out before the postal and / or proxy vote application is approved)
With our printers to enable ballot papers and postal voting packs to be printed.