Guidance for Candidates and Agents at local government elections in England

The electoral register and lists of absent voters contain people’s personal data and so their use is very carefully controlled.

You can use them to: 

• complete your nomination form
• help you campaign
• check that donations are permissible

You must not release to any person any details that appear only in the electoral register and not on the open register which is available for general sale. You must not use the electoral register and lists of absent voters for any other purpose not listed above.1

If you have supplied a copy of the electoral register or lists of absent voters to campaign workers, they must also comply with the requirements above.

You must ensure that you keep both the electoral register and the lists of absent voters secure.2 Once you no longer need the register and lists of absent voters for any electoral purpose, you should securely destroy any copies supplied to you as a candidate in accordance with the Information Commissioner’s guidelines.