Representation of the People Act 1983

[F1 62C Influencing voters at polling booths U.K.

(1) A person who—

(a) is with another person at a polling booth, and

(b) intends to influence that other person to vote in a particular way or to refrain from voting,

commits an offence.

(2) A person who—

(a) is near a polling booth when another person is at that booth, and

(b) intends to influence that other person to vote in a particular way or to refrain from voting,

commits an offence.

(3) For the purposes of this section—

(a) a “polling booth” is a compartment in a polling station in which voters can mark votes screened from observation;

(b) assisting a person with voting, in accordance with rule 39 of Schedule 1 or any other legislation, is not influencing that person to vote in a particular way or to refrain from voting;

(c) a person may be near one polling booth while at a different polling booth.

(4) A person who commits an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction—

(a) in England and Wales, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, to a fine or to both;

(b) in Scotland or Northern Ireland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to both.

(5) This section does not have effect in relation to an election in Scotland or Wales under the local government Act.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 62C inserted (2.5.2024) by Ballot Secrecy Act 2023 (c. 12), ss. 1, 3(4); S.I. 2023/1145, reg. 8

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 62C applied (with modifications) (2.5.2024) by S.I. 2012/323, Sch. 4 Table 1 (as amended by The Mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, Recall Petitions and Referendums (Ballot Secrecy, Candidates and Undue Influence) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1141), regs. 1(3), 5(a))

C2 S. 62C applied (with modifications) (2.5.2024) by S.I. 2012/444, Sch. 4 Table 1 (as amended by The Mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, Recall Petitions and Referendums (Ballot Secrecy, Candidates and Undue Influence) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1141), regs. 1(3), 6(a))

C3 S. 62C applied (with modifications) (2.5.2024) by S.I. 2012/2031, Sch. 4 Pt. 1 Table 1 (as amended by The Mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, Recall Petitions and Referendums (Ballot Secrecy, Candidates and Undue Influence) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1141), regs. 1(3), 7(2)(a))

C4 S. 62C applied (with modifications) (2.5.2024) by S.I. 2012/2031, Sch. 8 Table 1 (as amended by The Mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, Recall Petitions and Referendums (Ballot Secrecy, Candidates and Undue Influence) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1141), regs. 1(3), 7(3)(a))