Guidance for Candidates and Agents at Police and Crime Commissioner elections

After the result is declared, all election documents are securely held by the Electoral Registration Officer for a period of 12 months.1

Most documents are available for public inspection. Please note that ballot papers are not open to public inspection.

Inspection and supply of the marked registers and lists of absent voters 

The marked electoral registers and lists of absent voters show who has been issued with a ballot paper, who has returned their postal ballot paper, and who has had a proxy vote cast on their behalf.

You can inspect or obtain copies of the marked register of electors and lists of absent voters after the election if you make a request in writing to the relevant Electoral Registration Officer(s).2 Contact details are available on our website: https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/i-am-a/voter/your-election-information

Note that you can only use the information obtained from these documents for research or electoral purposes.

The request for inspection must specify:3

• which documents are requested
• the purposes for which the information in any document will be used
• where the request is to inspect the marked register or lists, any reason why inspecting the full register or unmarked lists would not be sufficient to achieve that purpose
• who will inspect the documents
• the date on which they wish to inspect the documents, and 
• whether they would prefer to inspect the documents in a printed or data form

Inspection is under supervision and will be free of charge. You will not be able to take copies, but may make handwritten notes.

The request for supply must specify:4

• which of the marked register or lists (or the relevant part of the register or lists) are requested
• whether a printed copy of the records or lists is requested or a copy in data form
• the purposes for which the marked register or lists will be used and why the supply or purchase of a copy of the full register or unmarked lists would not be sufficient to achieve that purpose

The requested document will be supplied for a fee of £10 plus £2 for printed and £1 for data versions per 1,000 entries.5  

Note that after 12 months these documents, held by the relevant Electoral Registration Officer, may be destroyed, unless a court order directs otherwise.6  

Under current data protection legislation, personal data processed for any purpose shall not be kept for longer than is necessary for that purpose. If you request and are supplied with any of the information listed above, once the purpose for collecting this data has passed, you need to consider if there is a reason for you to retain that data. If there is not you should ensure secure destruction of any data held.

Inspection of other election documents 

You can inspect other election documents, but you will not be allowed to make any notes or take copies of these documents.7  The only documents that cannot be inspected are:

• the ballot papers
• the corresponding number lists
• the certificates allowing polling station staff to vote at the polling station they are working at
• nomination papers
• the Ballot Paper Refusal List (information from this list can only be disclosed to the relevant elector or proxy on request following their refusal)8  

Nomination papers cannot be inspected after the election. They can only be inspected by certain people before 4pm, 19 working days before polling day (5pm in certain circumstances).9

After 12 months all of the election documents that are held by the Electoral Registration Officer will be destroyed, unless a court order directs otherwise.10  

Inspection of election spending returns 

Spending returns and declarations are held by the Police Area Returning Officer. They can be inspected by any person after they have been submitted.11  Copies can also be made for a fee of 15p per side per page. 

Spending returns and declarations are kept for two years. You can request to have them returned to you or your agent at the end of this period. If you or your agent does not want them back, the spending returns and declarations will be destroyed.