Section 62A Offences relating to applications for postal and proxy votesF1F2C1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8C9
A person commits an offence if he—
engages in an act specified in subsection (2) at a parliamentary or local government election, and
intends, by doing so, to deprive another of an opportunity to vote or to make for himself or another a gain of a vote to which he or the other is not otherwise entitled or a gain of money or property.
These are the acts—
applying for a postal or proxy vote as some other person (whether that other person is living or dead or is a fictitious person);
otherwise making a false statement in, or in connection with, an application for a postal or proxy vote;
inducing the registration officer or returning officer to send a postal ballot paper or any communication relating to a postal or proxy vote to an address which has not been agreed to by the person entitled to the vote;
causing a communication relating to a postal or proxy vote or containing a postal ballot paper not to be delivered to the intended recipient.
In subsection (1)(b), property includes any description of property.
In subsection (2) a reference to a postal vote or a postal ballot paper includes a reference to a proxy postal vote or a proxy postal ballot paper (as the case may be).
A person who commits an offence under subsection (1) or who aids, abets, counsels or procures the commission of such an offence is guilty of a corrupt practice.
This section does not apply to anything done at a local government election in Scotland.
Annotations
Textual amendments
- F1
S. 17(1) substituted (29.1.2001 for certain purposes and 16.2.2001 otherwise) by 2000 c. 2, s. 8(a), Sch. 1 para. 10; S.I. 2001/116, art. 2(1)(2) (with art. 2(4))
- F2
S. 62A inserted (11.9.2006) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 40, 77; S.I. 2006/1972, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 7 (subject to art. 4, Sch. 2)
Modifications
- C1
S. 62A modified (E.W.) (2.1.2007 for specific purposes) by The Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) (England and Wales) Rules 2006 (S.I. 2006/3305), rules 1(2)(3), 6
- C2
S. 62A applied (with modifications) (E.) (27.7.2007) by The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/2089), regs. 8, 11, 13, {Sch. 4 Table 1}
- C3
S. 62A applied (with modifications) (W.) (24.7.2008) by The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (Wales) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/1848), reg. 8, {Sch. 4 para. 1 Table 1}
- C4
S. 62A applied (with modifications) by S.I. 2001/2599, art. 3, Sch. 1 (as substituted (10.2.2009) by S.I. 2009/256, arts. 1(2), 3, Sch. 1)
- C5
S. 62A applied (with modifications) (E.) (9.2.2012) by The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums)(England) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/323), reg. 1, Sch. 4 para. 1
- C6
S. 62A applied (with modifications) (E.) (18.2.2012) by The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (Council Tax Increases) (England) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/444), reg. 1, Sch. 4 para. 1 (with reg. 27)
- C7
S. 62A applied (with modifications) (3.8.2012) by The Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2031), regs. 1, 8, 12, 13, Sch. 4 Pt. 1
- C8
S. 62A applied in part (with modifications) by The Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2031), reg. 17, Sch. 8 Table 1 (as inserted (E.W.) (6.4.2013) by S.I. 2013/798, regs. 1, 7, Sch. 3)
- C9
S. 62A applied (with modifications) (W.) (17.12.2021) by The Local Elections (Communities) (Wales) Rules 2021 (S.I. 2021/1460), rules 1, 6(1) (with rule 2)
- C10
S. 62A(1)-(5) applied (with modifications) (26.2.2016) by The European Union Referendum (Conduct) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/219), reg. 1, Sch. 1 para. 15 (with Sch. 1 para. 1(3))
Notes on Part I
Modifications
- C1
Pt. I (ss. 1–66) modified by Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50, SIF 42), s. 2(6)
- C2
Pt. 1 modified (E.W.) (25.5.2018) by The West Suffolk (Local Government Changes) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/639), arts. 1, 20(7)
- C3
Pt. 1 modified (E.W.) (25.5.2018) by The East Suffolk (Local Government Changes) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/640), arts. 1, 20(7)
- C4
Pt. 1 modified (E.W.) (26.5.2018) by The Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole (Structural Changes) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/648), arts. 1, 39(6)
- C5
Pt. 1 modified (E.W.) (26.5.2018) by The Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole (Structural Changes) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/648), arts. 1, 24(6)
- C6
Pt. 1 modified (E.W.) (26.5.2018) by The Somerset West and Taunton (Local Government Changes) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/649), arts. 1, 20(7)
- C7
Pt. 1 modified (E.W.) (23.5.2019) by The Buckinghamshire (Structural Changes) Order 2019 (S.I. 2019/957), arts. 1, 18(6)
- C8
Pt. 1 modified (E.W.) (14.2.2020) by The Northamptonshire (Structural Changes) Order 2020 (S.I. 2020/156), arts. 1, 20(8)
- C9
Pt. 1 modified (E.W.) (14.2.2020) by The Northamptonshire (Structural Changes) Order 2020 (S.I. 2020/156), arts. 1, 20(14)
- C10
Pts. 1, 2 modified (E.W.) (10.3.2026) by The Surrey (Structural Changes) Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/264), arts. 1(1), 47(5)(11), 49(5)(11)