To verify your identity when you register to vote, the data you provide will be processed by the Individual Electoral Registration Digital Service managed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities. As part of this process your data will be shared with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities suppliers that are data processors for the Individual Electoral Registration Digital Service. You can find more information about this via the following https://www.registertovote.service.gov.uk/register-to-vote/privacy
To verify your identity when you apply for a Voter Authority Certificate, the data you provide will be processed by the Voter Authority Certificate System. As part of this process your data will be shared with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Levelling Up Housing and Communities suppliers that are data processors for the Individual Electoral Registration Digital Service.
As part of the government’s reform of the annual canvass process, data from the electoral register is used to undertake a data-matching exercise against records held the Department for Work and Pensions annually at the start of the canvass exercise in July/August. Data is transferred securely via the Individual Electoral Registration Digital Service managed by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.
The Electoral Registration Officer is required to publish the electoral register and this is available for public inspection under supervision in Portsmouth Central Library.
Information from the electoral register may also be shared with or disclosed to:
- Companies supplying services to us including contracted printers who produce poll cards, postal voting packs, voter registration forms and canvass forms, with our software suppliers and the GOV.UK Notify service
- Local and national political parties, elected representatives and election candidates
- Credit reference agencies
- Portsmouth City Council for statutory functions (including for participation in the annual National Fraud Initiative) and the Council’s library and archives service
- The British Library, the Jury Summoning Bureau, the Electoral Commission, the UK Statistics Authority and other statutory recipients of the electoral register
- Other organisations when the law requires us to disclose information including for the prevention and detection of crime and the National Fraud Initiative
The regulations which apply to the supply and use of the electoral register can be viewed via the following link: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2002/1871/regulation/15/made
The open version of the electoral register is available for general sale. Further information on the two versions of the electoral register can be viewed via the following link: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/en/uksi/2013/3198/schedule/3/chapter/2/made
The Returning Officer is required to publish certain statutory election notices which may include details of the name and address of candidates, the names and signatures of individuals subscribing candidate nomination papers, and the name and address of election agents.
Certain election documents may be supplied or inspected in accordance with Sections 117 and 118 of the Representation of the People (England and Wales) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2006 respectively.
The Electoral Registration Officer may use the GOV.UK Notify service to contact residents or registered electors in connection with the compilation or maintenance of the Register of Electors. Further information can be viewed at: https://www.notifications.service.gov.uk/privacy
The Returning Officer also uses the GOV.UK Notify service to contact election candidates, agents or staff employed in connection with an election.
Following a statutory review of polling districts and polling places, the local authority is required to publish any correspondence, including representations, received in connection with the review in accordance with Section 4 of the Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places (Parliamentary Elections) Regulations 2006 (as amended).