Privacy notice for the electoral canvass

Data Controller

The Electoral Registration Officer (ERO), Rushmoor Borough Council, is the data controller for the personal information you provide.  You can contact the Elections Team by phone on 01252 398824, via email to elections@rushmoor.gov.uk or by writing to us at Elections Team, Rushmoor Borough Council, Council Offices, Farnborough Road, Farnborough, GU14 7JU. 

You can contact the Council's data protection officer at data.protection@rushmoor.gov.uk

Why we are collecting your data

The ERO has a statutory duty to maintain a complete an accurate electoral register throughout the year. The annual canvass is part of this process.

National reforms to the annual electoral registration canvass were implemented by Government in 2020. Finding new electors throughout the year and consistently maintaining the accuracy of their registers is instrumental to the successful implementation of the national reforms.

This privacy notice is in addition to the privacy notice for electoral registration.

What is the legal basis for processing this data?

The lawful bases for processing your personal information are:

• To comply with legal obligation(s) under the Juries Act 1974
• To comply with legal obligation(s) under the Representation of the People Act 1983
• To comply with legal obligation(s) under the Representation of the People Regulations 2001
• To comply with legal obligation(s) under the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013
• For the performance of a public interest task which has a clear basis in law (see above) or in the exercise of official authority vested in the ERO ie: maintaining the register of electors, in the public interest, as provided for in electoral law

Who will your information be shared with?

To verify your identity, the data you provide will be processed by the Individual Electoral Registration Digital Service (IERDS) managed by the Cabinet Office.  As part of this process, your data will be shared with the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and the Cabinet Office's suppliers who are data processors for IERDS.  For more information on this, please read the Cabinet's Office Privacy Notice.

If we need to process your information for a purpose other than that for which the personal information was collected, we will provide you with information on that other purpose before doing so.

What data will be collected

• The names and addresses of persons who are entitled to be registered on the electoral register, but who are not already registered;
• Those persons who are on the electoral register but who are no longer entitled to be registered at a particular address (normally because they have moved).

In general terms:

(a) We will be processing personal information relating to data matching of the information we hold on registered electors or attainers (ie: including 16-17 year olds) against:

• A national database - the Department for Work and Pensions' Customer Information System (DWP CIS); and
• Local datasets - council tax held by Rushmoor Borough Council.

(b) We will be conducting canvass communications (written and/or email, SMS or any other form of electronic or digital communication) with you.

Data matching information requirements means:

• Matching the name (including previous names and addresses), date of birth (where held) and address (in the form of string address and unique property reference number (where available)) against the DWP CIS database;
• Matching the name and string address at a minimum for local data;
• Match scores which deem the elector either matched or unmatched (aggregated at household level).

Canvass communication information requirements

• Full name and nationality of each registered elector aged 16 or over
• 'The aged 76 or over' age indicator
• The aged under 16/17' age indicator
• Previous names
• Email
• Mobile number

How long will we hold your data for?

The ERO will hold the canvass information (name, previous names and address)  for the canvass period.  All information will be held securely and disposed of confidentially. Your details will be kept and updated in accordance with our legal obligations and in line with statutory retention periods.  For further information, see our retention guidelines on our website.

Your rights

The Data Protection Act 2018 allows you to find out what information is held about you.

You are entitled to request a copy of any information about you that we hold.  Any such requests must be made in writing.  You are entitled to receive a copy of your records free of charge, within a month.

In certain circumstances access to your records may be limited, for example, if the records you have asked for contain information relating to another person.

If the information we hold about you is inaccurate you have a right to have this corrected and you have the right to request completion of incomplete data.

Where processing your personal information is required for the performance of a public interest task (see lawful bases above), you have the right to object on 'grounds relating to your particular situation'. I will have to demonstrate why it is appropriate for me to continue to use your personal data.

You have the right to opt out of the open version of the electoral register at any time. I must remove you from this version and tell the statutory recipients in the next update.

You do have the right to request the erasure of your personal data in certain circumstances ('right to be forgotten') such as phone and email details.  However, the retention of personal information such as a phone number or email address can help us to resolve a query with your entry on the register and provide you with key information by email during an election period.

The Data Protection Act 2018 allows you other rights concerning your personal information; for example you also have the right to be told if we have made a mistake whilst processing your data and we will self-report breaches to the Commissioner.

Further details on data protection and your rights can be found on our website http://www.rushmoor.gov.uk/dataprotection. 

The ICO's address: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.  Helpline 0303 123 1113

ICO website: https://www.ico.org.uk

Whether provision of data is part of statutory or contractual requirement

We are required to keep a record of your personal data in order to comply with the ERA2013, RPR2001 and Electoral Registration (Disclosure of Electoral Registers) Regulations 2013.