The Voter Identification Regulations 2022

CHAPTER 1 Reminders

Reminder of the need for an anonymous elector’s document: general

25.—(1) In this regulation and in regulation 26, a “reminder” is a notice to a person stating that they must have an anonymous elector’s document in order to—

(a) vote in person as an anonymous elector at a relevant election, petition or referendum other than a recall petition, or

(b) sign a signing sheet as a person with an anonymous entry in the register at a recall petition.

(2) A registration officer must send a reminder to—

(a) a person as soon as reasonably practicable after the registration officer makes an anonymous entry in a register of parliamentary electors or a register of local government electors in England or Wales for that person in accordance with section 9B(3)(b) of the 1983 Act(1);

(b) a qualifying anonymous elector during the relevant period.

(3) Paragraph (2)(a) does not apply to a person who—

(a) has an anonymous entry in a register of local government electors in Wales, and

(b) is not entitled to vote at a PCC election for a police area in Wales in accordance with section 52(1A) of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.

(4) In paragraph (2)(b), a “qualifying anonymous elector” is a person who—

(a) has an anonymous entry in—

(i) a register of parliamentary electors,

(ii) a register of local government electors in England, or

(iii) a register of local government electors in Wales and that person is entitled to vote at a PCC election for a police area in Wales in accordance with section 52(1A) of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011;

(b) has not been issued with an anonymous elector’s document at any time between the date on which that anonymous entry first takes effect and the beginning of the relevant period, and

(c) in the event of a relevant election, petition or referendum other than a recall petition, would not have an entry in the postal voters list or the list of proxies.

(5) The registration officer may combine a reminder under paragraph (1)(b) with a reminder under regulation 25A(2) of the Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001 or regulation 25A(2) of the Representation of the People (Scotland) Regulations 2001 (reminder of termination of registration of person with anonymous entry).

(6) In this regulation—

(a) “the list of proxies” means the list of persons kept in pursuance of—

(i) in relation to a relevant election, petition or referendum which is a PCC election, paragraph 4(3) of Schedule 2 to the Police and Crime Commissioner Elections Order 2012;

(ii) otherwise, paragraph 5(3) of Schedule 4 to the Representation of the People Act 2000;

(b) “the postal voters list” means the list of persons kept in pursuance of—

(i) in relation to a relevant election, petition or referendum which is a PCC election, paragraph 4(2) of Schedule 2 to the Police and Crime Commissioner Elections Order 2012;

(ii) otherwise, paragraph 5(2) of Schedule 4 to the Representation of the People Act 2000(2);

(c) “the relevant period” means the period—

(i) beginning with the day which is nine months after the day on which the person’s anonymous entry first takes effect, and

(ii) ending with the day which is ten months after the day on which that entry first takes effect.

Reminder of the need for an anonymous elector’s document: transitional provision

26.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), a registration officer must send a reminder to all qualifying anonymous electors registered in a register for which the registration officer is appointed no later than the end of the period of two months beginning with the day on which this regulation comes into force.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply in respect of a qualifying anonymous elector where, during the period described in paragraph (1)—

(a) the qualifying anonymous elector’s entry is removed from the register of electors in accordance with section 9C of the 1983 Act(3);

(b) the registration officer sends a reminder to the qualifying anonymous elector in accordance with regulation 25.

(3) In this regulation, a “qualifying anonymous elector” means a person who, on the day on which this regulation comes into force, has an anonymous entry in—

(a) a register of parliamentary electors,

(b) a register of local government electors in England, or

(c) a register of local government electors in Wales and that person is entitled to vote at a PCC election for a police area in Wales in accordance with section 52(1A) of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011.

(1)

Section 9B was inserted by section 10(1) of the Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), and was amended by section 20(a) of the Local Electoral Administration and Registration Services (Scotland) Act 2006 (asp 14) and by paragraph 7 of Schedule 4 to the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 (c. 6).

(2)

Paragraph 5(2) was amended by paragraph 137(6) of Schedule 1 to the Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22).

(3)

Section 9C was inserted by section 10(1) of the Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), and was amended by paragraph 8 of Schedule 4 to the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 (c. 6).