The Voter Identification Regulations 2022

CHAPTER 3 Issuing of temporary electoral identity documents

Issuing of temporary electoral identity documents

18.—(1) This regulation applies where, at any time during the relevant period for a relevant election, petition or referendum, a registration officer issues an applicant with an electoral identity document in accordance with regulation 16.

(2) The registration officer may also issue the applicant with a temporary electoral identity document where the registration officer is satisfied that the issued electoral identity document may not be delivered in time to the applicant for the applicant to be able to use that document at the relevant election, petition or referendum.

(3) In paragraph (1), “the relevant period” in relation to a relevant election, petition or referendum means the period—

(a) beginning at 5pm on the sixth working day before the relevant date, and

(b) ending at—

(i) where the relevant election, petition or referendum is a recall petition—

(aa) 5pm on the relevant date, or

(bb) if earlier, the beginning of the final hour during which the petition will be available for signing at the allotted petition signing place on the relevant date;

(ii) otherwise, 5pm on the relevant date.

(4) In paragraph (3)—

(a) “allotted petition signing place” means the petition signing place allotted to the applicant in accordance with regulation 16 of the 2016 Regulations;

(b) the “relevant date” is—

(i) where the relevant election, petition or referendum is a recall petition, the last day of the signing period for that petition;

(ii) otherwise, the date of the poll at that election or referendum;

(c) “working day” means any day other than a Saturday, Sunday, Good Friday, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or a bank holiday.

Temporary electoral identity documents: supplemental

19.—(1) A temporary electoral identity document issued in accordance with regulation 18 is valid only on the relevant date.

(2) The registration officer must ensure that a temporary electoral identity document issued to an applicant in accordance with regulation 18 (“the issued temporary document”)—

(a) use the version of the design for that document most recently made available to the registration officer in accordance with regulation 15,

(b) states—

(i) the applicant’s full name,

(ii) the date of issue,

(iii) the name of the local authority by which the registration officer is appointed,

(iv) an appropriate identifier,

(v) the date for which the issued temporary document is valid,

(c) contains the photograph of the applicant provided in accordance with regulation 4(3), and

(d) is signed by the registration officer.

(3) In paragraph (2)(b)(iv), an “appropriate identifier” is an identifier made up of up to 20 numbers or letters which—

(a) is allocated by the registration officer in respect of an issued temporary document, and

(b) is not an identifier allocated by that registration officer in respect of any other temporary electoral identity document which is valid on the same date.

(4) The registration officer must, in relation to the issued temporary document—

(a) arrange for the issued temporary document to be made available for collection by the applicant in person,

(b) notify the applicant—

(i) that the issued temporary document is available to be collected,

(ii) of the location where and the times during which the issued document may be collected, and

(iii) that the issued temporary document may only be collected by the applicant in person, and

(c) update the issued document record entry relating to the electoral identity document referred to in regulation 18(1) accordingly.

(5) Where the applicant gives an indication in accordance with regulation 4(1)(h), the registration officer must also arrange for a Braille, easy read or large print explanation of the issued temporary document to be made available for collection with the issued temporary document.

(6) The registration officer may combine a notification under paragraph (4)(b) with a notification under regulation 12.

(7) In paragraph (1), “the relevant date” has the meaning given in regulation 18(4)(b).