Wales Act 2014

Entitlement to vote

1 (1) Where a referendum held by virtue of section 12(1) follows on from a youth franchise resolution, a person is entitled to vote in the referendum if, on the date of the poll at the referendum, the person—

(a) is aged 16 or over,

(b) either—

(i) is registered in the register of local government electors at an address within an Assembly constituency, or

(ii) is registered in the register of young voters at such an address in accordance with provision made under paragraph 2,

(c) is not subject to any legal incapacity to vote (age apart) within the meaning of section 2(1)(b) of the Representation of the People Act 1983, and

(d) is a Commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or a relevant citizen of the Union (within the meaning given by section 202(1) of that Act).

(2) Where a referendum held by virtue of section 12(1) does not follow on from a youth franchise resolution, a person is entitled to vote in the referendum if the person would be entitled to vote in a general election of Assembly members if one were held on the date of the poll at the referendum.

(3) For the purposes of this paragraph and paragraph 2, a referendum held by virtue of section 12(1) “follows on from a youth franchise resolution” if—

(a) a resolution is passed by the Assembly under section 13(1) which states that the voting age at the proposed referendum is to be 16,

(b) the First Minister complies with section 13(3) in relation to the resolution, and

(c) as a result, a draft of the statutory instrument containing the Order under section 12(1) which causes the referendum to be held is laid in accordance with section 13(4)(a).

(4) An Order under section 12(1) may include provision for disregarding alterations made in a register of electors or voters after a date specified in the Order and sub-paragraphs (1) and (2) are to be read subject to any such provision.