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Paragraph 3 Application to vote by post or proxy at a particular PCC election

England and Wales

Changes not yet applied. Later legislation changes this provision in ways not yet written into the text below:

(1)

Where a person applies to the registration officer to vote by post at a particular PCC election, the officer must grant the application if—

(a)

the officer is satisfied that the applicant is or will be registered in the register of electors, and

(b)

the application contains the applicant's signature and date of birth and meets the requirements set out in Part 2 of this Schedule.

(2)

Where a person applies to the registration officer to vote by proxy at a particular PCC election, the officer must grant the application if—

(a)

the officer is satisfied that the applicant's circumstances on the date of the poll will be or are likely to be such that the applicant cannot reasonably be expected to vote in person at the polling station to which the applicant is, or is likely to be, allotted under the PCC elections rules,

(b)

the officer is satisfied that the applicant is or will be registered in the register of electors, and

(c)

the application contains the applicant's signature and date of birth and meets the requirements set out in Part 2 of this Schedule.

(3)

Where a person who has an anonymous entry in the register applies to the registration officer to vote by proxy at a particular PCC election, the registration officer must grant the application if it meets the requirements set out in Part 2 of this Schedule.

(4)

Nothing in sub-paragraph (1), (2) or (3) applies to—

(a)

a person F1who is registered in the register of electors and who is included in the record kept under paragraph 3 of Schedule 4 to the Representation of the People Act 2000 (absent vote at parliamentary or local government elections for definite or indefinite period) M1, F2... F3other than a relevant Welsh elector,

(b)

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(5)

But if a person F4other than a relevant Welsh elector is included in a record mentioned in sub-paragraph (4) and is shown in the record as voting by post, the person may, in respect of a particular PCC election, apply to the registration officer—

(a)

for his or her ballot paper to be sent to a different address from that shown in the record, or

(b)

to vote by proxy.

(6)

The registration officer must grant an application under sub-paragraph (5) if—

(a)

in the case of any application, it meets the requirements set out in Part 2 of this Schedule, and

(b)

in the case of an application to vote by proxy, the officer is satisfied that the applicant's circumstances on the date of the poll will be or are likely to be such that the applicant cannot reasonably be expected to vote in person at the polling station to which the applicant is, or is likely to be allotted, under the PCC elections rules.

(7)

The registration officer may dispense with the requirement under sub-paragraph (1)(b) or (2)(c) for the applicant to provide a signature if the officer is satisfied that the applicant is unable—

(a)

to provide a signature because of any disability the applicant has, or

(b)

to provide a signature because the applicant is unable to read or write, or

(c)

to sign in a consistent and distinctive way because of any such disability or inability.

(8)

The registration officer must keep a record of those whose applications under this paragraph have been granted showing—

(a)

their dates of birth, and

(b)

except in cases where the registration officer in pursuance of sub-paragraph (7) has dispensed with the requirement to provide a signature, their signatures.

(9)

The record kept under sub-paragraph (8) must be retained by the registration officer for the period specified in paragraph 26 of this Schedule (the personal identifiers record).

F5(10)

In this paragraph “relevant Welsh elector” means a person who is included in the record mentioned in sub-paragraph (4)(a) only by virtue of an entitlement to vote by post or by proxy at local government elections in Wales.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1

Words in Sch. 2 para. 3(4)(a) inserted (1.4.2018) by The Wales Act 2017 (Consequential and Saving Provisions) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/272), regs. 1, 5(a)

F2

Sch. 2 para. 3(4)(b) and word revoked (31.12.2020) by The European Parliamentary Elections Etc. (Repeal, Revocation, Amendment and Saving Provisions) (United Kingdom and Gibraltar) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1310), reg. 1, Sch. 1 Pt. 2 Table 1 (as amended by S.I. 2019/1389, regs. 1, 2(2))

F3

Words in Sch. 2 para. 3(4)(a) inserted (31.1.2024) by The Representation of the People (Postal and Proxy Voting etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1147), regs. 1(3)(d), 17(5)(a)(i) (as amended by S.I. 2023/1406, regs. 1(5), 19(2)(a)(i)) (with Sch. 2 paras. 24-26)

F4

Words in Sch. 2 para. 3(5) inserted (31.1.2024) by The Representation of the People (Postal and Proxy Voting etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1147), regs. 1(3)(d), 17(5)(a)(ii) (with Sch. 2 paras. 24-26)

F5

Sch. 2 para. 3(10) inserted (31.1.2024) by The Representation of the People (Postal and Proxy Voting etc.) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1147), regs. 1(3)(d), 17(5)(a)(iii) (as substituted by S.I. 2023/1406, regs. 1(5), 19(2)(a)(ii)) (with Sch. 2 paras. 24-26)

Marginal citations

M1

Schedule 4 to the Representation of the People Act 2000 (c.2) also has effect in relation to mayoral elections in England and Wales by virtue of Schedule 2 to the Local Authorities (Mayoral Elections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/1024). It also has effect in relation to referendums in England by virtue of Schedule 4 to the Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/323) and Schedule 4 to the Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (Council Tax Increases) (England) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/444).