Document Retention Schedule for Electoral Services

ELECTORAL SERVICES RECORD	RETENTION PERIOD	DESTRUCTION POLICY
Canvass Register (record of visits by a canvasser for door knock exercise)	12 months	To be confidentially disposed of once time limit reached by election staff
Household Enquiry Forms (HEFs)	12 months	To be confidentially disposed of once time limit reached by election staff
Voter Registration Forms (ITRs)	Retain hard copies after application determined for 12 months. Electronic copies to have NiNos redacted no later than 13 months after application determined.	Hard copies -to be confidentially disposed of by election staff on a weekly basis. NiNos to be redacted by election staff once time limit reached
Voter Authority Certificate (VAC)	Data will be kept for up to 10 years. Electors are expected to renew their VAC after that period.	To be confidentially disposed of once time limit reached by election staff
Electoral Register	15 years- Current year • For use at any election held in the current year • For public inspection during life of register Past years • To check eligibility of Overseas voter Applications.	To be confidentially disposed of once time limit reached.
Absent Vote Applications/PI Collection Notices/Signature Waiver Applications (for a particular election)	1 year from date of receipt, even although scanned, to allow time for potential fraud investigations/ court cases to be heard	To be confidentially disposed of once time limit reached.
Absent Voter Applications/PI Collection Notices/Signature Waiver Applications (for a set period)	For the duration of the set period and up to 1 year following – a set period means from/ to a date and thereafter they are cancelled. Retention is to allow time for potential fraud.	To be confidentially disposed of once time limit reached.
Absent Voter applications – any cancelled / deleted applications	Hold for 1 year after deletion/cancellation	To be confidentially disposed of once time limit reached
Absent Voter Applications/Collection Notices/Signature Waiver Applications (for an indefinite period)	To be disposed of once absent voter moves address or asks for cancellation then hold for a year – other than that we will retain.	To be confidentially disposed of once time limit reached.
Special Declaration Elector Applications – Service Voters	Whilst in force – 5 years	To be confidentially disposed of once time limit reached.
Special Declaration Elector Applications-Overseas Voters	Whilst in force- 15 years subject to yearly declaration renewal	To be confidentially disposed of once time limit reached by specified admin staff as registration can be renewed annually for another 12month period.
Special Declaration Elector Applications- Declaration of local connection (Homeless, Mental patients and Remand prisoners) and Service voters Crown Servants, British Council employees and their spouses)	12 months unless declaration is renewed annually.	To be confidentially disposed of once time limit reached by specified admin staff as registration can be renewed annually for another 12month period.
Anonymous Registration Applications (strictly secure) Registration lasts for 12 months from the day the anonymous entry is first made in the register ( the date of the notice of alteration) Applications can be removed earlier by cancellation from the elector or a review of registration	Indefinite as along as application is renewed annually, since original application will contain the attestation or may have ‘evidence’ attached. Renewals must contain the same level of evidence as original applications. The ERO should undertake a Data protection impact assessment (DPIA) for anonymous registrations since it relates to personal safety.	To be confidentially disposed of once time limit reached by specified admin staff as registration can be renewed annually for another 12month period.
Disposal of Election Documents E.g. Local Government and Parliamentary Elections	12 months	Statutory period- To be confidentially disposed of once time limit reached.
Returns and Declarations as to Election Expenses	24 months	Statutory period- To be confidentially disposed of once time limit reached.

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