The European Union Referendum (Voter Registration) Regulations 2016

Draft Regulations laid before Parliament under section 9(2) of the European Union Referendum Act 2015, for approval by resolution of each House of Parliament.

Draft Statutory Instruments

2016 No.

Referendums

Representation Of The People

The European Union Referendum (Voter Registration) Regulations 2016

Made

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Coming into force in accordance with regulation 1

These Regulations are made in exercise of the powers conferred by sections 4(1) and (5), 9(5) and 11(1) of the European Union Referendum Act 2015(1).

In accordance with section 4(6) of that Act, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has consulted the Electoral Commission.

A draft of this instrument has been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament pursuant to section 9(2) of that Act.

Accordingly, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster makes the following Regulations:

Citation and commencement

1.  These Regulations may be cited as the European Union Referendum (Voter Registration) Regulations 2016 and come into force when they are made.

Interpretation

2.  In these Regulations, “the Conduct Regulations” means the European Union Referendum (Conduct) Regulations 2016(2).

Extension of date for voter registration to 9th June 2016

3.—(1) Paragraph 4 of Schedule 1 to the Conduct Regulations (alteration of registers: Great Britain) is amended in accordance with paragraphs (2) and (3).

(2) In sub-paragraph (1)—

(a) after paragraph (c), insert—

“(ca) in subsection (6), for “the appropriate publication date” there were substituted “20 June 2016”,”, and

(b) omit paragraph (e).

(3) For sub-paragraph (2) substitute—

“(2) In relation to England, Wales and Scotland, section 13B of the 1983 Act applies for the purposes of the referendum but as if—

(a) in subsection (1)—

(i) for “the fifth day before the date of the poll for an election to which this section applies” there were substituted “20 June 2016”, and

(ii) for “the election” there were substituted “the referendum”,

(b) in subsection (2)—

(i) in paragraph (a), for “the appropriate publication date in the case of an election to which this section applies” there were substituted “20 June 2016”,

(ii) in paragraph (b), for “the relevant election area” there were substituted “the area for which the registration officer acts”, and

(iii) in paragraph (c), for “the fifth day before the date of the poll” there were substituted “20 June 2016”,

(c) in subsection (3)(a), for “the appropriate publication date” there were substituted “20 June 2016”,

(d) in each of subsections (3A) and (3C)—

(i) for “the appropriate publication date in the case of an election to which this section applies” there were substituted “20 June 2016”, and

(ii) for “the relevant election area” there were substituted “the area for which the registration officer acts”, and

(e) subsections (4) and (5) were omitted.”

(4) In paragraph 5(1) of Schedule 1 to the Conduct Regulations (alteration of registers: Northern Ireland), for paragraph (g) substitute—

“(g) for subsection (13) there were substituted—

“(13) Subsection (6) of section 13B applies for the purposes of this section as it applies for the purposes of that section.

(14) In this section, “the appropriate publication date”, in relation to the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland and the referendum, means either the sixth or the fifth day before the date of the poll for the referendum, as the Chief Electoral Officer may determine.””

signature

Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

Cabinet Office

date

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

The purpose of these Regulations is to extend the deadline for people to register to vote in the referendum to be held on 23 June under section 1 of the European Union Referendum Act 2015. It applies to applications in Great Britain.

The Regulations amend the European Union Referendum (Conduct) Regulations 2016. The effect of the amendments made by the Regulations is that people who apply before midnight on 9 June to be registered to vote will be entitled to vote in the referendum if their applications are successful.

(1)

2015 c.36. See the definition of “the Minister” in section 11(1).

(2)

S.I. 2016/219.