Elections Act 2022

Amendments to the Representation of the People Act 1983

6 For paragraph 3A substitute—

“3A (1) Provision about—

(a) applications for registration in Northern Ireland and applications under section 13C, including in particular provision about—

(i) the form and contents of applications and of any declarations to be made in connection with them;

(ii) the manner in which applications and any such declarations are to be made;

(b) the manner in which forms in connection with a canvass under section 10 are to be submitted.

(2) Provision made under sub-paragraph (1) may include provision—

(a) conferring functions on the Secretary of State or the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland to enable applications to be made, or forms to be submitted, in a particular manner;

(b) conferring other functions on the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland;

(c) conferring functions on the Electoral Commission;

(d) authorising the Secretary of State or the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland, in prescribed circumstances, to complete applications or forms in part for people.

(3) Provision requiring a person making an application for registration in Northern Ireland—

(a) to provide evidence that the person is the person named in the application;

(b) to provide evidence of entitlement to be registered.

(4) Provision requiring a person making an application under section 13C to provide evidence that the person is the person named in the application.

(5) Provision made under sub-paragraph (3) or (4) must specify the kind of evidence that a person is required to provide.

(6) Examples of the evidence that may be specified include a person’s date of birth or national insurance number.

(7) Provision made under sub-paragraph (3) or (4) may require a person to provide the evidence to the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland or to some other prescribed person (or person of a prescribed description).

(8) Provision about how any requirement for an applicant to provide a signature in connection with—

(a) an application for registration in Northern Ireland, or

(b) a form submitted in connection with a canvass under section 10,

may be satisfied.”