Running electoral registration - Wales

Access to and supply of data relating to those under 16 years of age

Access to and supply of data relating to those under 16 years of age

Data relating to those under 16 years of age can only be accessed by, or made use of by, EROs and their staff. No version of the register or any absent voting lists published or otherwise made available should contain that data.  

However, the data may be disclosed1

  • to the individual themselves (including disclosure of the data to demonstrate that they are a permissible donor, in which case the data must be disclosed) or to a person they have appointed as proxy to vote for them
  • for the purposes of a criminal investigation or criminal proceedings relating to the registration of electors or the conduct of elections
  • in a communication sent to an individual or household for the annual canvass, although the date of birth of any person aged under 16 years old must not be pre-printed
  • to EROs and Returning Officers in connection with the registration of electors or the conduct of elections

The only other exception is that before a Senedd or local government election, the information on those under 16 years of age who will be eligible to vote at the election (i.e. will attain the age of 16 on or before polling day), can, for the purposes of or in connection with the election, be disclosed in the electoral register, postal voters list, list of proxies and list of postal proxies, that is supplied to2

  • candidates at Senedd or local government elections for electoral purposes or to comply with the rules on political donations
  • the Returning Officer for the purposes of Senedd or local government elections
  • the Electoral Commission. In this case, the Commission is only allowed to use the information in connection with its functions relating to donation controls and publication of information about donors, but the latter does not enable publication of the names and addresses of those under 16 years old

The information supplied before an election must not contain dates of birth, or anything else that would identify a voter as under 16 years old.

No other individual or bodies may be supplied with any information relating to those aged under 16 years old.

Last updated: 14 July 2022