Electoral Administration Bill

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Session 2005 - 06
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Electoral Administration Bill

Electoral Administration Bill

EXPLANATORY NOTES

Explanatory notes to the Bill, prepared by the Department for Constitutional Affairs,

are published separately as Bill 50—EN.

EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

Ms Harriet Harman has made the following statement under section 19(1)(a) of the

Human Rights Act 1998:

In my view the provisions of the Electoral Administration Bill are compatible with the

Convention rights.

Bill 50

54/1

Electoral Administration Bill

Contents

Part 1

Co-ordinated on-line record of electors

1

CORE schemes: establishment

2

Use of CORE information

3

CORE scheme grants

4

Electoral Commission

5

CORE schemes: supplemental

6

CORE schemes: procedure

7

Amendment of the 1983 Act

8

Interpretation of Part

Part 2

Registration of electors

9

Registration officers: duty to take necessary steps

10

Anonymous registration

11

Alterations of registers: pending elections

12

Determinations by registration officers and objections

Part 3

Anti-fraud measures

13

Registration: personal identifiers

14

Personal identifiers

15

Personal identifiers: piloting

16

Evaluation of personal identifier pilots

17

Revision of personal identifier provisions in consequence of pilot

18

Offences as to false registration information

Part 4

Review of polling places

19

Review of polling places

Bill 50

54/1

Electoral Administration Bill

ii

Part 5

Standing for election

20

Minimum age

21

Certain Commonwealth citizens

22

Nomination procedures

23

Description of independent candidates

Part 6

Conduct of elections etc.

Election timetables

24

Omission of references to Maundy Thursday

Nomination

25

Use of candidates’ common names

26

Offences as to false statements in nomination papers

Election expenses

27

Amount of expenses which may be incurred by third party

28

Return as to election expenses

29

Meaning of election expenses for purposes of the 1983 Act

Observation of elections etc.

30

Discretion to report on certain elections

31

Observation of proceedings and working practices

Ballot papers

32

Ballot paper design

33

Replacement of counterfoils

Assistance for voters etc.

34

Translations etc. of certain documents

35

Assistance for certain postal voters

Circumstances in which votes may be tendered

36

Tendered votes in certain circumstances

Offences related to voting

37

Undue influence

38

Offences relating to applications for postal and proxy votes

Electoral Administration Bill

iii

Access to election documents

39

Control of documents after parliamentary election

40

Access to other election documents

41

Access to other election documents: contravention of regulations

42

Access to other election documents: supplementary

43

Marked postal voters list

Correction of procedural errors

44

Returning officers: correction of procedural errors

Miscellaneous amendments

45

Miscellaneous amendments of the 1983 Act

Part 7

Regulation of parties

Registration of parties

46

Registered names of parties

47

Political party descriptions

48

Confirmation of registered particulars

49

Removal from register of registered parties

50

Time for registration of parties fielding candidates

Accounting requirements

51

Requirements as to statements of account

52

Time for delivery of unaudited accounts to Electoral Commission

Control of donations

53

Policy development grants to be donations

54

Exemption from requirement to prepare quarterly donation reports

55

Repeal of section 68 of the 2000 Act

56

Register of donations to include details of nature of donation

57

Northern Ireland: disapplication of Part 4 of the 2000 Act

Campaign expenditure

58

Campaign expenditure: standing for more than one party

59

Time limit for claims in respect of campaign expenditure

Referendum and election material

60

Details to appear on referendum and election material

Electoral Administration Bill

iv

Part 8

Miscellaneous

Funding for election services

61

Performance of local authorities in relation to elections etc.

62

Funding of services and expenses of returning officers

Encouraging electoral participation

63

Encouraging electoral participation

Criminal proceedings

64

Time limit for prosecutions

65

Restriction on powers of arrest by persons other than constables

Part 9

General

66

Miscellaneous amendments and repeals

67

Financial provision

68

Interpretation

69

Commencement

70

Extent

71

Short title

Schedule 1   —

Amendments

Part 1   —

Anonymous registration

Part 2   —

Alteration of registers: pending elections

Part 3   —

Standing for election

Part 4   —

Omission of references to Maundy Thursday

Part 5   —

Conduct of elections

Part 6   —

Miscellaneous

Schedule 2   —

Repeals

© Parliamentary copyright 2005
Revised 11 October 2005