Government

Destroying election material and ballot papers: what the Dutch Elections Act prescribes

17 May 2026 · 7 min read · DeSnipperaar

After every election, boxes of election material sit in town halls, in storage at polling-station recruitment hubs and in the archives of political parties. Ballot papers, electoral rolls, official records, candidate lists and internal campaign documents each follow their own statutory route. The Elections Act, the Elections Decree and the Archives Act together determine what must be done, what is permitted and when. This article lays them out for Dutch practice.

Ballot papers: three months of retention

Ballot papers are anonymous documents, but they are also evidence of the result. The Elections Act (article N 12 and the Elections Decree) requires that they be kept for three months after announcement of the result, unless an objection or recount is requested during that period. After that they must be destroyed.

• Duty to destroy: yes, after the retention period.
• Method: shred according to DIN 66399; usually P-3 suffices (no personal data, but anonymity of the vote).
• Evidence: official record of destruction, signed by an authorised civil servant plus a destruction certificate from the supplier.

Electoral rolls and the voter register

Electoral rolls contain personal data (name, address, date of birth, sometimes a BSN link) and are therefore subject to GDPR retention rules as well as the Elections Act. In practice:

• Retention period: 6 months to 1 year after the election for paper copies, after which destruction is mandatory unless the Archives Act says otherwise.
• Method: shred at DIN P-4 or P-5 because of personal data.
• Delivery: in sealed boxes, not open in the corridor.

For the broader GDPR retention periods, see our cheatsheet.

Official records and result documents

Official records of polling stations and main polling stations have archival value and should usually not be destroyed. The Archives Act provides that this kind of document follows the regular archive procedure to the regional historical centre or the National Archive. Destruction is not the correct route here; archiving is.

Rule of thumb: destroy ballot papers after 3 months. Archive official records in line with the Archives Act. Destroy electoral rolls after the short GDPR period.

Campaign material from political parties

A different regime applies to political parties: they are private organisations and their material falls outside the Elections Act, under their own privacy and archive policy. In practice:

• Donor lists: GDPR retention period (commonly while the relationship runs plus 2 years).
• Volunteer lists: 2 years after the end of the campaign.
• Posters, flyers, banners: no statutory period, destroy when redundant.
• Internal strategy documents: party policy, often 5 to 7 years.

For banners and flyers a separate run is unnecessary; combine with the regular archive clear-out. Read about the combination in destroying promotional material and business cards.

The difference between destroying and archiving

A common mistake in municipal administrations: send everything through one stream with the annual destruction. But archive-worthy documents (official records, main polling station results) belong separately. A good process:

1. Sort by category: ballot papers, electoral roll, official records, campaign.
2. Per category: determine the retention period.
3. For archive-worthy documents: deliver to the municipal archive or regional archive.
4. For destructible material: mobile destruction on site or via locked consoles.
5. Archive the official record of destruction plus certificate as evidence.

Special considerations for postal voting

Postal ballots (for voters abroad or substitute voting) have a separate chain of custody. When destroying postal ballots the same 3-month period applies, but the accompanying envelopes with signature and voter details are GDPR-sensitive. Deliver them separately in a sealed container and process at DIN P-5.

Recommended approach for municipalities

1. Schedule the destruction moment 90 days after announcement of the result.
2. Make an inventory per polling station in the meantime.
3. Book mobile destruction a week before the deadline expires.
4. Collect everything in sealed boxes at one central location in the town hall.
5. The destruction supplier visits, shreds on site, hands over a certificate.
6. Have the official record of destruction signed by an authorised civil servant.
7. Keep both documents for 5 years.

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Is your municipality planning a destruction moment? Email us via desnipperaar.nl at least two weeks in advance so we can coordinate scheduling.