Restrictions on the use of the information contained in the electoral register and lists of absent voters
The electoral register and lists of absent voters contain people’s personal data so their use is very carefully controlled.
Constituency candidates, individual regional candidates, parties and election agents can use the information on the registers and lists to:
help them campaign
check that donations are permissible
Any details that appear only in the electoral register and not on the open register which is available for general sale must not be released to any person.
The electoral register and lists of absent voters must not be used for any other purpose not listed above.
The electoral register and the lists of absent voters must be kept secure.1
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.
If copies of the electoral register or lists of absent voters have been supplied to party list candidates and/or campaign workers, they must also comply with these requirements.