IRRV Alert - week ending 21st April 2023
News
Security guidance for elections (20 April 2023)
Guidance
Security guidance for elections
This collection of guidance provides advice on good security practice for candidates and those in local authorities.
- From:
- Cabinet Office
- Published
- 25 March 2021
- Last updated
- 20 April 2023 — See all updates
Get emails about this page
Documents
Online security information for candidates
HTML
Election security for polling stations and counting venues (PDF)
PDF, 1.21 MB, 28 pages
This file may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.
Request an accessible format.
Election security for polling stations and counting venues (HTML)
HTML
Details
There are a number of security considerations that need to be made both by those planning and those running for elections.
This collection of guidance provides advice on good security practice for candidates and those in local authorities. Much of this advice will be relevant all year round.
For candidates we recommend that you read:
- Cyber security guidance for individuals in politics - advice on how to protect against common cyber attacks seen against individuals in politics.
- Joint guidance for candidates in elections (pdf, 570 KB) - advice on recognising and responding to intimidatory behaviour.
- Online Security Information for Candidates May Elections - guidance from social media platforms to secure your account and how to report incidents of online abuse.
- CyberAware - guidance on how to stay secure online, including access to a free, tailored cyber action plan.
- Social Media: how to use it safely - guidance on using privacy settings across social media platforms to manage your digital footprint. The ‘spotting and reporting fake accounts’ section may be of particular interest.
If you are a Returning Officer, or are helping run elections for your local authority, we recommend that you read:
- Cyber security election guidance for local authorities - advice on good cyber security practices to protect systems that support elections.
- Election security for polling stations and counting venues (PDF) (PDF, 1.21 MB, 28 pages) - guide to assist Returning Officers with the physical security arrangements needed for elections.
In addition, the Cabinet Office has published specific guidance on COVID-secure elections campaigning. The Electoral Commission has updated its core guidance for Returning Officers to support the delivery of the May 2022 polls.
Departmental co-owners
Departmental co-owners of the Security guidance for elections are:
- Cabinet Office
- Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS)
- National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)
- Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI)
- National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC)
- The Electoral Commission
- The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)
- College of Policing
- National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO)
- Counter Terrorism Policing
Published 25 March 2021
Last updated 20 April 2023 + show all updates