Elections Act 2022

Amendments of RPA 1983

2 After section 13BC insert—

“13BD Electoral identity document: Great Britain

(1) An application for an electoral identity document may be made by a person who—

(a) is or has applied to be registered in a register of parliamentary electors in Great Britain or a register of local government electors in England, or

(b) is or has applied to be registered in a register of local government electors in Wales and—

(i) is entitled to vote or, as the case may be, will on being registered be entitled to vote, at an election of a police and crime commissioner for a police area in Wales (see section 52(1A) of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011), or

(ii) will be entitled to vote or, as the case may be, will on being registered be entitled to vote, at such an election on attaining the age of 18.

(2) An application must be made to a registration officer who maintains a register referred to in subsection (1) in which the applicant is or has applied to be registered.

(3) A registration officer must, in accordance with regulations, determine an application made to the registration officer.

(4) Regulations may make provision—

(a) about the timing of an application for an electoral identity document;

(b) about the issuing or collection of an electoral identity document.

(5) Regulations under subsection (4)(a) may in particular provide for an application to be disregarded for the purposes of a particular election where the application is received after a deadline specified by reference to the date of that election.

(6) The provision that may be made by virtue of subsection (4)(b) includes provision amending the parliamentary elections rules in connection with the collection of an electoral identity document from a polling station.

(7) No charge may be made for the issue of an electoral identity document.

(8) Regulations must require an electoral identity document issued to a person—

(a) to state the person’s full name, and

(b) to contain a photograph of the person.

(9) Regulations may require an electoral identity document to include other information.

(10) Regulations may make provision about—

(a) the form of an electoral identity document (including provision for the document to be issued in different forms in different circumstances), and

(b) the period for which an electoral identity document issued in a particular form is to be valid.

(11) Regulations under subsection (9) or (10)(a) may confer functions on the Electoral Commission (for example, the Commission may be required to design an electoral identity document).

13BE Anonymous elector’s document: Great Britain

(1) An application for an anonymous elector’s document may be made by a person who—

(a) has or has applied for an anonymous entry in a register of parliamentary electors in Great Britain or a register of local government electors in England, or

(b) has or has applied for an anonymous entry in a register of local government electors in Wales and—

(i) is entitled to vote or, as the case may be, will on having an anonymous entry in the register be entitled to vote, at an election of a police and crime commissioner for a police area in Wales (see section 52(1A) of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011), or

(ii) will be entitled to vote or, as the case may be, will on having an anonymous entry in the register be entitled to vote, at such an election on attaining the age of 18.

(2) An application must be made to a registration officer who maintains a register referred to in subsection (1) in which the applicant has or has applied for an anonymous entry.

(3) A registration officer must, in accordance with regulations, determine an application made to the registration officer.

(4) Regulations may make provision—

(a) about the timing of an application for an anonymous elector’s document;

(b) about the issuing or collection of an anonymous elector’s document.

(5) Regulations under subsection (4)(a) may in particular provide for an application to be disregarded for the purposes of a particular election where the application is received after a deadline specified by reference to the date of that election.

(6) The provision that may be made by virtue of subsection (4)(b) includes provision amending the parliamentary elections rules in connection with the collection of an anonymous elector’s document from a polling station.

(7) No charge may be made for the issue of an anonymous elector’s document.

(8) Regulations must require an anonymous elector’s document issued to a person—

(a) to state the person’s electoral number, and

(b) to contain a photograph of the person.

(9) Regulations may require an anonymous elector’s document to include other information.

(10) Regulations may make provision about—

(a) the form of an anonymous elector’s document (including provision for the document to be issued in different forms in different circumstances), and

(b) the period for which an anonymous elector’s document issued in a particular form is to be valid.

(11) Regulations under subsection (9) or (10)(a) may confer functions on the Electoral Commission (for example, the Commission may be required to design an anonymous elector’s document).

(12) Regulations—

(a) may authorise or require a registration officer to remind a person who has an anonymous entry in a register maintained by the officer of the need to obtain an anonymous elector’s document in order to be able to vote in person;

(b) may require a registration officer, in prescribed circumstances, to replace an anonymous elector’s document issued to a person with a new anonymous elector’s document issued by the officer.”