Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013

6. In summary the sections and Schedules in Part 1 of the Act relating to Individual Electoral Registration:

• Provide that each elector must apply individually to be registered to vote after the transition to the new system.

• Make transitional arrangements over two or three years, including using data matching to verify entries, and providing for the ‘carry forward’ of electors who are not automatically verified and fail to register under the new system in the first year, so that they remain on the first register published under the new system (likely to be the register used for the 2015 general election).

• Create a legislative framework to allow alternative channels for registration, such as online registration, to be offered.

• Provide for the use of data matching to verify applications, check existing entries in registers and find individuals who do not currently appear on the register.

• Make provision for an annual canvass which is compatible with the new registration system and provide a power to amend or abolish the annual canvass in future, subject to a report by the Electoral Commission and an order requiring the approval by a resolution of each House of Parliament.

• Ensure that all those wishing to vote by post or proxy will need to be registered under the new registration system to utilise these voting methods after the first annual canvass under the new system.

• Introduce a civil penalty for those who fail to make an application when required to do so by an Electoral Registration Officer (“ERO”).