Voters Privacy, Security and Copyright Statement
Who are we?
This website and the Choice Voting online voting application are hosted and maintained by RDT Systems Limited, Lytchett House, 13 Freeland Park, Wareham Road, Poole, Dorset, BH16 6FA, and are provided in our role as a data processor. Choice Voting is a trading name of RDT Systems Limited.
Our data protection officer can be contacted via [email protected].
Why have I received an invitation to vote from you?
You may receive an invitation to vote from our platform. This may be in the form of an email invitation, or a text based SMS invitation.
If you have received this invitation, it is likely because you are a member of, or associated with, an organisation such as a school where you are a student parent, a sports club, or similar. The organisation hosting the election is using our platform and has determined that you are eligible to be invited to participate in the election in some capacity.
Why is information gathered and how is it used?
This platform performs various election roles, including elections, referendums and other related electoral processes and services. It enables participants to access election information, submit nominations and cast votes electronically. The information gathered is used to ensure the smooth functioning of election processes, including verifying candidate eligibility, facilitating voter registration where required, and maintaining the integrity of the voting service and results service.
The legal basis for processing personal information includes fulfilling legal obligations, pursuing legitimate interests, delivering a contractual service, and exercising official authority on behalf of the data controller.
We collect information directly and indirectly. Direct collection includes data provided by users, while indirect collection encompasses automatically gathered data such as IP addresses and access timestamps. All data collected is necessary for administering electoral projects and is processed fairly and lawfully.
Your identification data and the record that you have voted are used solely to secure your one time vote and are fully encrypted on our systems at all times.
Additionally, the platform may use cookies to enhance functionality, security and user experience. Detailed information about the cookies used is available in our Cookie Policy.
The organisation that invited you, and us
- The data controller (the organisation running the election) has the right to provide voter data to RDT Systems Limited as the processor, based on the contractual agreement between the two parties.
- The data controller may share voter data with RDT Systems Limited to fulfil the purposes of administering electoral projects, including voter registration, candidate eligibility verification and ballot distribution.
- Under data protection laws and regulations, the data controller is responsible for ensuring that the sharing of voter data with RDT Systems Limited complies with relevant legal requirements, including obtaining any necessary consents from voters.
- The data controller may provide voter data to RDT Systems Limited for the processing purposes set out in the contractual agreement, such as maintaining the integrity of the voting system, ensuring accurate vote tabulation, and addressing queries or issues related to individual votes.
- The data controller retains ownership and control over the voter data shared with RDT Systems Limited, and the processor is obliged to handle the data in accordance with the terms of the contract and applicable data protection laws.
- RDT Systems Limited, as the processor, is bound by confidentiality obligations to ensure that voter data shared by the data controller is securely stored, processed and protected against unauthorised access, misuse or disclosure.
- Any sharing of voter data between the data controller and RDT Systems Limited must be conducted in compliance with data protection principles, including transparency, fairness and lawfulness, to uphold the rights and privacy of voters.
- The data controller retains ultimate responsibility for the processing of voter data, including oversight of RDT Systems Limited's activities as the processor, to ensure compliance with data protection laws and regulations.
How long will we keep this information?
After an electoral project concludes, personal information is stored for a period to address queries or issues. Data retention complies with relevant legislation and typically lasts no more than four months after project completion. Election administrators, as data controllers, may choose to remove data at any stage during or after an election.
Access to your details and other rights
You have the right to access and correct your personal information. You can also object to processing under certain circumstances. Requests or objections should be directed to the data controller of your inviting organisation, and any requests made to us must be forwarded to your organisation. You can also contact our Data Protection Officer at [email protected]. If you are unsatisfied with the response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office.
You have the right to decline an invitation to vote online.
You have the right to request an alternative means of voting via the data controller. You will find the relevant organisation's contact information in the footer of your invitation email.
Will we share this information with outside parties?
Personal information is shared with the data controller only as necessary, such as for candidate eligibility verification or a subject access request. We do not disclose personal information unless legally obliged to. Your data will not be sold or shared for marketing purposes.
What security controls are in place?
We prioritise your security by implementing physical and digital measures, including firewalls, intrusion detection systems and full data encryption, to protect against unauthorised access, misuse or alteration of information.
Your vote is completely confidential. Neither the election organiser nor we have access to your personal voting details. Your ballot is encrypted and stored securely, solely for the purpose of tallying the election results. After the election, the organiser may receive a list of participants, but they cannot see how individuals voted. Your privacy and anonymity are paramount.
Copyright
The contents of this site, including text, images and arrangement, are the property or trademark of RDT Systems Limited unless otherwise stated. Unauthorised reproduction or distribution of site content is prohibited without prior written consent from RDT Systems Limited.
We value your trust and privacy and are committed to maintaining the confidentiality and integrity of your information. Thank you for choosing Choice Voting.