Running electoral registration - Wales

What absent voting lists am I required to keep?

You are required to keep up to date and accurate records of absent vote applications that have been granted. Three separate records are required, as follows:1  

Postal voters

The record must indicate the elector’s full name (unless the elector is registered anonymously) and the address to which the ballot paper is to be sent. It should also include the elector number.

Proxy voters

The record must indicate the elector’s full name (unless the elector is registered anonymously) and the full name and address of the proxy. It should also include the elector number.

Postal proxy voters

The record must indicate the elector’s full name (unless the elector is registered anonymously) and the full name of the proxy and the address to which the ballot paper is to be sent. It should also include the elector number.

Producing the absent vote lists for a poll

For any particular poll, you must produce a postal voters list, a list of proxies and a postal proxy list based on the information contained in these records and supply these to the Returning Officer for the poll2 where you are not also the Returning Officer, and those others entitled to receive the list.3  

You should liaise with the RO (where you are not also the RO) to establish the latest practicable point for determination of postal vote applications for that poll so that you can plan to produce and supply complete and accurate absent voting lists for the poll. 

If an elector is registered anonymously only the elector number and period of anonymous registration is included on the lists.4  

You should ensure that the records and lists are accurate and should take steps to ensure that electors who are deleted from the register are also removed from the absent voting lists.

Keeping the records of personal identifiers which contain the signatures and dates of birth provided on absent vote applications 

You are required to maintain the personal identifier record5 (which contains the signatures and dates of birth provided on absent vote applications). This record must include the names, signatures and dates of birth of all absent voters. Where a waiver has been granted the record will not include a signature. 

Record of signatures and dates of birth for longer term absent voters 

In the case of the signature and date of birth belonging to an elector who has been granted an absent vote for a particular poll, you must keep the record until the expiry of twelve months from the date of the poll for the purposes of which the absent vote was applicable.

Record of signatures and dates of birth for longer term absent voters 

You must keep the signature and date of birth of an elector who has been granted an absent vote (whether for a definite, indefinite or maximum period) until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which the elector is removed from the records of applications.

Only EROs and their staff will have access to and be able to make use of data relating to those under 16 years of age, and no version of the register or any absent voting lists published or otherwise made available should contain that data. However, there are limited exceptions where the data, including on absent voting lists, may be disclosed. For more information see our guidance about who can be supplied with the data.