Elections Act 2022
2022 c. 37 · Enacted 28 April 2022 · Extends to United Kingdom
Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—
Contents
- Part 1: Administration and conduct of elections
- Voter identification, applications for postal and proxy votes, etc
- 1Voter identification
- 2Power to make regulations about registration, absent voting and other matters
- Postal and proxy voting
- 3Restriction of period for which person can apply for postal vote
- 4Handling of postal voting documents by political campaigners
- 5Handing in postal voting documents
- 6Limit on number of electors for whom a proxy can vote
- 7Requirement of secrecy
- Undue influence
- 8Undue influence
- Assistance with voting for persons with disabilities
- 9Assistance with voting for persons with disabilities
- Nomination of candidates at parliamentary elections
- 10Candidate nomination paper: commonly used names
- 11Home address form: statement of local authority area
- Northern Ireland elections
- 12Local elections and Assembly elections in Northern Ireland
- Voting system for elections for certain offices
- 13Simple majority system to be used in elections for certain offices
- Part 2: Overseas electors and EU citizens
- Overseas electors
- 14Extension of franchise for parliamentary elections: British citizens overseas
- Voting and candidacy rights of EU citizens
- 15Voting and candidacy rights of EU citizens
- Part 3: The Electoral Commission
- Strategy and policy statement
- 16Strategy and policy statement
- 17Examination of duty to have regard to strategy and policy statement
- Membership of the Speaker’s Committee
- 18Membership of the Speaker’s Committee
- Criminal proceedings
- 19Criminal proceedings
- Part 4: Regulation of expenditure
- Notional expenditure of candidates and others
- 20Notional expenditure: use of property etc on behalf of candidates and others
- 21Codes of practice on expenses
- 22Authorised persons not required to pay expenses through election agent
- Registration of parties etc
- 23Declaration of assets and liabilities to be provided on application for registration
- 24Prohibition on entities being registered political parties and recognised third parties at same time
- 25Section 24: transitional provision
- Controlled expenditure etc
- 26Restriction on which third parties may incur controlled expenditure
- 27Third parties capable of giving notification for purposes of Part 6 of PPERA
- 28Recognised third parties: changes to existing limits etc
- 29Code of practice on controls relating to third parties
- Part 5: Disqualification of offenders for holding elective office etc
- 30Disqualification orders
- 31Vacation of office etc
- 32Candidates etc
- 33Holders of relevant elective offices
- 34Campaigners
- 35Election etc of a person to the House of Commons who is subject to a disqualification order
- 36Power to amend Schedule 9
- 37Interpretation of Part
- 38Minor and consequential amendments
- Part 6: Information to be included with electronic material
- Definitions
- 39Definitions relating to electronic material and publication
- 40Definitions relating to parties etc
- Requirements
- 41Requirement to include information with electronic material
- 42Electronic material to which section 41 applies: paid-for material
- 43Purposes referred to in section 42
- 44Electronic material to which section 41 applies: other electronic material
- 45Purposes referred to in section 44
- 46Electronic material relating to more than one candidate or future candidate
- 47Exceptions to section 41
- Enforcement
- 48Offence of breaching section 41
- 49Order to take down electronic material in breach of section 41
- 50Enforcement by the Commission
- 51Notice to take down electronic material in breach of section 41
- 52Further provision about notice under section 51
- 53Supply of information
- Supplementary
- 54Guidance
- 55Information in Commission’s annual report
- 56Notices
- 57Proceedings for an offence under this Part
- 58Offences committed by bodies corporate
- 59Offences committed by unincorporated associations etc
- 60Regulations under this Part
- 61Meaning of “the Commission”
- Part 7: General
- 62Review of operation of Act
- 63Power to amend references to subordinate legislation etc
- 64Financial provisions
- 65Interpretation etc
- 66Extent
- 67Commencement
- 68Short title
- Schedule 1: Voter identification
- 1Amendments of RPA 1983
- 2Paragraph 2
- 3Paragraph 3
- 4Paragraph 4
- 5Paragraph 5
- 6Paragraph 6
- 7Paragraph 7
- 8Paragraph 8
- 9Paragraph 9
- 10Paragraph 10
- 11Paragraph 11
- 12Paragraph 12
- 13Paragraph 13
- 14Paragraph 14
- 15Paragraph 15
- 16Paragraph 16
- 17Paragraph 17
- 18Paragraph 18
- 19Paragraph 19
- 20Paragraph 20
- 21Paragraph 21
- 22Paragraph 22
- 23Paragraph 23
- 24Paragraph 24
- 25Paragraph 25
- 26Paragraph 26
- 27Paragraph 27
- 28Paragraph 28
- 29Paragraph 29
- 30Paragraph 30
- 31Paragraph 31
- 32Paragraph 32
- 33Paragraph 33
- 34Extension of Northern Ireland voter identification provisions to Great Britain
- 35Extension of Northern Ireland voter identification provisions to Great Britain
- 36Extension of Northern Ireland voter identification provisions to Great Britain
- 37Extension of Northern Ireland voter identification provisions to Great Britain
- 38Extension of Northern Ireland voter identification provisions to Great Britain
- 39Extension of Northern Ireland voter identification provisions to Great Britain
- 40Consequential repeals
- Schedule 2: Power to make regulations about registration, absent voting and other matters
- 1Amendments to the Representation of the People Act 1983
- 2Paragraph 2
- 3Paragraph 3
- 4Paragraph 4
- 5Paragraph 5
- 6Paragraph 6
- 7Paragraph 7
- 8Paragraph 8
- 9Paragraph 9
- 10Paragraph 10
- 11Paragraph 11
- 12Power to remove signature requirements Not yet in force
- 13Power to make provision about unique reference numbers: elections in Northern Ireland Not yet in force
- 14Consequential repeals
- Schedule 3: Restriction of period for which person can apply for postal vote
- 1Representation of the People Act 2000
- 2Paragraph 2
- 3Paragraph 3
- 4Transitional provision
- Schedule 4: Proxy voting: limits and transitional provision
- 1Representation of the People Act 1983
- 2Paragraph 2
- 3Paragraph 3
- 4Paragraph 4
- 5Paragraph 5
- 6Representation of the People Act 1985
- 7Representation of the People Act 2000
- 8Termination of certain proxy appointments on the specified day
- 9Paragraph 9
- 10Termination of applications for certain proxy appointments on the specified day
- 11Termination of applications for certain proxy appointments on the specified day
- Schedule 5: Undue influence: further provision
- 1Local Government Act 1972
- 2Paragraph 2
- 3Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972
- 4Representation of the People Act 1983
- 5Greater London Authority Act 1999
- 6Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009
- 7Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011
- Schedule 6: Local elections in Northern Ireland and elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly
- Part 1: Local elections in Northern Ireland
- 1Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962
- 2Paragraph 2
- 3Paragraph 3
- 4Paragraph 4
- 5Paragraph 5
- 6Paragraph 6
- 7Paragraph 7
- 8Paragraph 8
- 9Paragraph 9
- 10Paragraph 10
- 11Paragraph 11
- 12Paragraph 12
- 13Paragraph 13
- 14Paragraph 14
- 15Paragraph 15
- 16Paragraph 16
- 17Paragraph 17
- 18Paragraph 18
- 19Paragraph 19
- 20Paragraph 20
- 21Paragraph 21
- 22Paragraph 22
- 23Paragraph 23
- 24Paragraph 24
- 25Paragraph 25
- 26Paragraph 26
- 27Paragraph 27
- 28Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 1985
- 29Paragraph 29
- 30Elected Authorities (Northern Ireland) Act 1989
- 31Elections Act 2001
- 32Transitional provisions relating to proxy voting
- 34Consequential repeals
- Part 2: Elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly
- 35Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections) Order 2001
- 36Paragraph 36
- 37Paragraph 37
- 38Paragraph 38
- 39Paragraph 39
- 40Paragraph 40
- 41Paragraph 41
- 42Paragraph 42
- 43Paragraph 43
- 44Paragraph 44
- 45Paragraph 45
- 46Paragraph 46
- 47Transitional provisions relating to proxy voting
- 48Paragraph 48
- Schedule 7: Overseas electors
- Part 1: Minor and consequential amendments
- 1Representation of the People Act 1983
- 2Paragraph 2
- 3Paragraph 3
- 4Paragraph 4
- 5Representation of the People Act 1985
- 6Finance Act 1996
- 7Income Tax Act 2007
- 8Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010
- 9Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011
- 10House of Lords Reform Act 2014
- 11Consequential repeals
- Part 2: Transitional provision
- 12Interpretation of Part
- 13Pre-commencement applications for registration in a register of parliamentary electors
- 14Overseas electors registered pursuant to pre-commencement applications
- 15Postal voting
- 16Paragraph 16
- 17Power to make supplementary provision
- 18Promoting awareness of changes to overseas elector franchise
- Schedule 8: Voting and candidacy rights of EU citizens
- Part 1: Amendments to the Representation of the People Act 1983
- 1Paragraph 1
- Part 2: Amendments in relation to certain local elections in England and Wales
- 2City of London (Various Powers) Act 1957
- 3Local Government Act 1972
- 4Greater London Authority Act 1999
- 5Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009
- 6Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011
- Part 3: Amendments in relation to certain elections in Northern Ireland
- 7Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962
- 8Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972
- 9Elected Authorities (Northern Ireland) Act 1989
- 10Northern Ireland Act 1998
- 11Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections) Order 2001
- Part 4: Transitional provision etc
- 12Holders of elected offices
- 13Power to make transitional and saving provision
- Schedule 9: Offences for purposes of Part 5
- Part 1: Common law offences
- 1Offences under the law of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
- 2Paragraph 2
- 3Offences under the law of England and Wales and Northern Ireland
- 4Paragraph 4
- 5Offences under the law of Scotland
- 6Paragraph 6
- 7Paragraph 7
- 8Paragraph 8
- 9Paragraph 9
- 10Paragraph 10
- 11Paragraph 11
- 12Paragraph 12
- 13Paragraph 13
- 14Paragraph 14
- 15Paragraph 15
- 16Paragraph 16
- 17Paragraph 17
- 18Paragraph 18
- 19Paragraph 19
- 20Paragraph 20
- 21Offences under the law of Northern Ireland
- 22Paragraph 22
- Part 2: Statutory offences
- 23Offences against the Person Act 1861
- 24Explosive Substances Act 1883
- 25Theft Act 1968
- 26Theft Act (Northern Ireland) 1969
- 27Criminal Damage Act 1971
- 28Protection from Eviction Act 1977
- 29Criminal Law Act 1977
- 30Criminal Damage (Northern Ireland) Order 1977
- 31Rent (Northern Ireland) Order 1978
- 32Road Traffic (Northern Ireland) Order 1981
- 33Taking of Hostages Act 1982
- 34Rent (Scotland) Act 1984
- 35Public Order Act 1986
- 36Public Order (Northern Ireland) Order 1987
- 37Criminal Justice Act 1988
- 38Malicious Communications Act 1988
- 39Malicious Communications (Northern Ireland) Order 1988
- 40Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992
- 41Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994
- 42Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995
- 43Protection from Harassment Act 1997
- 44Protection from Harassment (Northern Ireland) Order 1997
- 45Crime and Disorder Act 1998
- 46Communications Act 2003
- 47Sexual Offences Act 2003
- 48Sexual Offences (Northern Ireland) Order 2008
- 49Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009 (asp 9)
- 50Criminal Justice and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2010 (asp 13)
- 51Serious Crime Act 2015
- 52Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act 2021 (asp 14)
- 52AOnline Safety Act 2023
- Part 3: Inchoate offences
- 53Paragraph 53
- Schedule 10: Disqualification orders: minor and consequential amendments
- 1Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962
- 2Local Government Act 1972
- 3Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972
- 4Representation of the People Act 1983
- 5Northern Ireland Act 1998
- 6Greater London Authority Act 1999
- 7Government of Wales Act 2006
- 8Armed Forces Act 2006
- 9Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011
- 10Sentencing Act 2020
- Schedule 11: Illegal practices
- 1Candidates etc at parliamentary, Northern Ireland Assembly and local elections
- 2Candidates etc at elections to the Scottish Parliament
- 3Candidates etc at elections to Senedd Cymru
- 4Candidates etc at local elections in Scotland
- 5Candidates etc at local elections in Northern Ireland
- 6Candidates at police and crime commissioner elections
- 7MPs and recall petitions
- Schedule 12: Supply of information etc
- 1Supply of information etc
- 2Court order for disclosure of information etc
- 3Paragraph 3
- 4Power to make copies and records
- 5Authorisation to be in writing
- 6Legal professional privilege
- 7Admissibility of information
- 8Application of restrictions on disclosure
- 9Meaning of “relevant enforcer”