Privacy notice for electoral services.
Last updated: 13 January 2026
Next review: 14 February 2026
We are legally required to collect this information so we can determine if you are eligible to vote and to record you as a legitimate voter. Your National Insurance number is removed as soon as we have determined your application. We share this data with the government office which provides the Individual Electoral Registration Digital Service. They check the data against other government records to determine its legitimacy.
The following is a list of all primary and secondary legislation relevant to the collection, processing and retention of personal data by Electoral Services:
We also collect data on electoral registration and election staff so we can employ them to conduct electoral duties. Political parties and candidates are required to provide information when they wish to stand for election. Again, electoral law determines what data we have to request, how long we retain it for.
The information you provide is held in electoral registers which are managed by the Electoral Registration Officer and their appointed deputies. Officers use the information received and 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. It can only be supplied to the following people and organisations:
We also have to disclose (share) your information with our software providers and contracted printers. This is for the purposes of carrying out our duties in relation to electoral registration and elections.
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.
The full register contains data on all registered electors. Anyone can inspect the full electoral register under supervision. They can take extracts from the register, but only as handwritten notes. In line with data protection legislation, information taken must not be used for direct marketing purposes unless that information has been published in the open version of the register. Anyone who fails to observe these conditions is committing a criminal offence and may 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 possible to opt out of the open register. The open register 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 also 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. Your personal details will be included unless you ask for them to be removed. Removing your details from the open register will not affect your right to vote.
The Electoral Registration Officer and Returning Officer are required to keep a record of your personal data in order to comply with electoral legislation; principally:
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. For a copy of our retention policy please contact us directly.
You are entitled to request a copy of any information that we hold about you. Any such requests must be made in writing. If the information we hold about you is inaccurate you have the right to have this corrected. You also have the right to request completion of incomplete data.
You have the right to request the deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances (known as the ‘right to be forgotten’). You have the right to request that we stop or restrict the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances. We will seek to comply with your request where possible, but we may be required to hold or process information to comply with a legal requirement.
If you are not satisfied with how the Electoral Registration Officer or Returning Officer has used your personal information, you have the right to complain. You can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office by sending an email to casework@ico.org.uk
Our Data Protection Officer is Mark Hynes. You can contact him by email at data.protectionofficer@walthamforest.gov.uk
Please see the relevant section of the Corporate Privacy Notice.
Please see the relevant section of the Corporate Privacy Notice.
These are included in the relevant section of the Corporate Privacy Notice.
If we’re unable to resolve your complaint to your satisfaction, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
