OpenLegislation

Representation of the People Act 2000

2000 c. 2 · Enacted 9 March 2000 · Extends to United Kingdom

Not fully up to date. 17 changes made by later legislation have not yet been written into this text, which is revised to 10 September 2024.

See the changes not yet applied
ProvisionChangeMade by
Sch. 4power to amendElections Act 2022 Sch. 2 para. 12(1)(a)
Sch. 4 para. 3(1)(b)words omittedAbsent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act 2025 s. 1(5)(a)
Sch. 4 para. 3(1A)words omittedAbsent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act 2025 s. 1(5)(b)
Sch. 4 para. 3(4)(aa)words omittedAbsent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act 2025 s. 1(5)(c)
Sch. 4 para. 3(4)(ab)(i)omittedAbsent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act 2025 s. 1(5)(d)(i)
Sch. 4 para. 3(4)(ab)words omittedAbsent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act 2025 s. 1(5)(d)(ii)
Sch. 4 para. 3(5)(ca)words omittedAbsent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act 2025 s. 1(5)(e)
Sch. 4 para. 3(5)(d)words omittedAbsent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act 2025 s. 1(5)(f)
Sch. 4 para. 3(7)words omittedAbsent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act 2025 s. 1(5)(g)
Sch. 4 para. 3(7A)words omittedAbsent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act 2025 s. 1(5)(h)
Sch. 4 para. 7(5)(c)words omittedAbsent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act 2025 s. 1(6)(a)
Sch. 4 para. 7(5A)words omittedAbsent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act 2025 s. 1(6)(b)
Sch. 4 para. 7(6)(aa)words omittedAbsent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act 2025 s. 1(6)(c)(i)
Sch. 4 para. 7(6)(ab)omittedAbsent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act 2025 s. 1(6)(c)(ii)
Sch. 4 para. 7(9)(c)word insertedAbsent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act 2025 s. 1(6)(d)(i)
Sch. 4 para. 7(9)(ca)words omittedAbsent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act 2025 s. 1(6)(d)(ii)
Sch. 4 para. 7(9)(d) and wordomittedAbsent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Act 2025 s. 1(6)(d)(iii)

An Act to make new provision with respect to the registration of voters for the purposes of parliamentary and local government elections; to make other provision in relation to voting at such elections; and for connected purposes.

[9th March 2000]

C1C2C3C4C5C6Be 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:—C7C8C9C10C11C12C13C14C15

Annotations to the whole text

Modifications

C1

Act modified (E.W.) (2.4.2001) by S.I. 2001/1298, reg. 10(1)(c)

Act applied (E.W.) (2.4.2001) by S.I. 2001/1298, reg. 10(4)

Act modified (E.W.) (2.4.2001) by S.I. 2001/1298, reg. 15(8)

Act modified (E.W.) (2.4.2001) by S.I. 2001/1298, reg. 16(2)

Act modified (E.W.) (1.2.2002) by S.I. 2002/185, reg. 3(2), Sch. 2

C2

Act: Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), s. 46(1)-(4) to be construed as part of the Representation of the People Acts (1.1.2007 for E.W.S and 1.7.2008 for N.I.) by virtue of Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. {46(5)}, 77; S.I. 2006/3412, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 14 (subject to transitional provisions in Sch. 2); S.I. 2008/1316, art. 2(2), 4

C3

Act: Power to amend conferred (1.1.2007) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 72, 77; S.I. 2006/3412, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 10 (subject to transitional provisions in Sch. 2)

C4

Act: power to modify conferred by Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32), s. 4(4)(a) (with Sch. 11 para. 22), the affecting provision coming into force immediately after the 2007 election (held on 3.5.2007) subject to s. 161(4)(5) of the affecting Act, which provides for certain provisions to come into force for specified purposes immediately after the end of the initial period (which ended with the day of the first appointment of a First Minister on 25.5.2007) see ss. 46, 161(1)(4)(5) of the affecting Act.

C5

Act: power to modify conferred by Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32), s. 13(4)(5)(a) (with Sch. 11 para. 22), the affecting provision coming into force immediately after the 2007 election (held on 3.5.2007) subject to s. 161(4)(5) of the affecting Act, which provides for certain provisions to come into force for specified purposes immediately after the end of the initial period (which ended with the day of the first appointment of a First Minister on 25.5.2007) see ss. 46, 161(1)(4)(5) of the affecting Act.

C6

Act: certain provisions applied (with modifications) (27.3.2007) by The Local Authorities (Mayoral Elections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/1024), reg. 3(2)(3)(c)(4), Sch. 2 (as amended (E.W.) (10.1.2018) by The Local Authorities (Mayoral Elections) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/20), regs. 1, 2

C7

Act functions made exercisable concurrently (18.8.2010) by Lord President of the Council Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1837), arts. 1(2), 3

C8

Act power to apply or incorporate (with modifications) conferred (15.9.2011) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), s. 58(1)-(3), (7)

C9

Act power to apply or incorporate (with modifications) conferred (25.4.2012) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), s. 54(2)-(5), 157(1); S.I. 2012/1129, art. 2(b)

C10

Act functions transferred (22.6.2015) by The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/1376), arts. 1(2), 3(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 9)

C11

Act functions transferred (9.11.2016) by The Transfer of Functions (Elections, Referendums, Third Sector and Information) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/997), arts. 1(2), 3(1), Sch. 1(g) (with arts. 3(2), 6, 12)

C12

Act applied (with modifications) (E.W.) (31.1.2017) by The Combined Authorities (Mayoral Elections) Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/67), art. 3(2)-(4), Sch. 2 (as amended by S.I. 2024/131, regs. 1(3), 12(4))

C13

Act: power to apply (with modifications) conferred by 1998 c. 46, s. 12(4)(5) (as substituted (18.5.2017) by Scotland Act 2016 (c. 11), ss. 4(1), 72(4)(a); S.I. 2017/608, reg. 2(1)(b))

C14

Act functions transferred (24.5.2018) by The Welsh Ministers (Transfer of Functions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/644), arts. 1(1), 45, Sch. 1 para. 2

C15

Act: functions cease to be exercisable concurrently (8.12.2021) by The Transfer of Functions (Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) Order 2021 (S.I. 2021/1265), arts. 1(2), 9, Sch. 1(g) (with arts. 11, 12)

Contents

  1. Part I: Electoral registration and franchise
  2. New system of registration
  3. 1New system of electoral registration.
  4. Disfranchisement
  5. 2Disfranchisement of offenders detained in mental hospitals.
  6. Residence for purposes of registration
  7. 3Residence for purposes of registration: general.
  8. 4Residence: patients in mental hospitals who are not detained offenders or on remand.
  9. 5Residence: persons remanded in custody etc.
  10. 6Notional residence: declarations of local connection.
  11. Service voters
  12. 7Service declarations.
  13. Further amendments
  14. 8Further amendments about registration.
  15. Supply of information contained in register
  16. 9Restriction on supply of information contained in register.
  17. Part II: Conduct of elections
  18. New electoral procedures
  19. 10Pilot schemes for local elections in England and Wales.
  20. 11Revision of procedures in the light of pilot schemes.
  21. Manner of voting
  22. 12Changes relating to absent voting at elections in Great Britain.
  23. Persons with disabilities
  24. 13Assistance with voting for persons with disabilities.
  25. Part III: Miscellaneous and General
  26. Miscellaneous
  27. 14Free delivery of election addresses at Greater London Authority elections.
  28. General
  29. 15Minor and consequential amendments and repeals.
  30. 16Financial provisions.
  31. 16AFunctions of the Minister for the Cabinet Office Repealed
  32. 17Citation, construction, commencement and extent.
  33. Schedule 1: Registration: amendments of 1983 Act
  34. Introductory
  35. 1Paragraph 1
  36. Residence
  37. 2Paragraph 2
  38. Registers of electors
  39. 3Paragraph 3
  40. Maintenance of registers
  41. 4Paragraph 4
  42. 5Paragraph 5
  43. Publication of registers
  44. 6Paragraph 6
  45. Service declarations
  46. 7Paragraph 7 Repealed
  47. 8Paragraph 8
  48. 9Paragraph 9
  49. 10Paragraph 10
  50. Polling districts
  51. 11Paragraph 11
  52. Effect of registers
  53. 12Paragraph 12
  54. Regulations about registration
  55. 13Paragraph 13
  56. Registration appeals: England and Wales
  57. 14Paragraph 14
  58. Registration appeals: Northern Ireland
  59. 15Paragraph 15
  60. Service voters
  61. 16Paragraph 16
  62. Offences
  63. 17Paragraph 17
  64. Election expenses
  65. 18Paragraph 18
  66. Election addresses
  67. 19Paragraph 19
  68. Evidence of registration
  69. 20Paragraph 20
  70. Regulations under the Act
  71. 21Paragraph 21
  72. Interpretation
  73. 22Paragraph 22
  74. Parliamentary elections rules
  75. 23Paragraph 23
  76. Content of regulations as to registration
  77. 24Paragraph 24
  78. Schedule 2: Registration: overseas electors
  79. Introductory
  80. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  81. Franchise for parliamentary elections
  82. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  83. Registration of overseas electors
  84. 3Paragraph 3 Repealed
  85. Franchise for European Parliamentary elections
  86. 4Paragraph 4 Repealed
  87. Schedule 3: Registration: local elections in Northern Ireland
  88. Introductory
  89. 1Paragraph 1
  90. Registration of electors
  91. 2Paragraph 2
  92. Application of provisions of 1983 Act
  93. 3Paragraph 3
  94. Modification of provisions of 1983 Act
  95. 4Paragraph 4
  96. Schedule 4: Absent voting in Great Britain
  97. Interpretation
  98. 1Paragraph 1
  99. Manner of voting at parliamentary or local government elections
  100. 2Paragraph 2
  101. Absent vote at elections for a period
  102. 3Paragraph 3
  103. Absent vote at particular election
  104. 4Paragraph 4
  105. Absent voters list
  106. 5Paragraph 5
  107. Proxies at elections
  108. 6Paragraph 6
  109. Voting as proxy
  110. 7Paragraph 7
  111. Provision of fresh signatures
  112. 7AParagraph 7A
  113. 7BParagraph 7B
  114. Use of personal identifier information
  115. 7CParagraph 7C
  116. 7DParagraph 7D
  117. Notification of rejected postal vote
  118. 7EParagraph 7E
  119. Regulations under paragraph 7E in relation to local government elections in Scotland
  120. 7FParagraph 7F
  121. Offences
  122. 8Paragraph 8
  123. Schedule 5Free delivery of election addresses at first GLA mayoral election: New Schedule 3A to the Greater London Authority Act 1999
  124. Schedule 6: Minor and consequential amendments
  125. City of London (Various Powers) Act 1957 (c. x)
  126. 1Paragraph 1
  127. European Parliamentary Elections Act 1978 (c. 10)
  128. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  129. The 1983 Act
  130. 3Paragraph 3
  131. 4Paragraph 4
  132. 5Paragraph 5
  133. 6Paragraph 6
  134. 7Paragraph 7
  135. 8Paragraph 8
  136. 9Paragraph 9
  137. 10Paragraph 10
  138. 11Paragraph 11
  139. Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50)
  140. 12Paragraph 12
  141. 13Paragraph 13
  142. 14Paragraph 14
  143. 15Paragraph 15
  144. 16Paragraph 16
  145. 17Paragraph 17
  146. 18Paragraph 18
  147. Finance Act 1996 (c. 8)
  148. 19Paragraph 19
  149. Schedule 7: Repeals
  150. IRepeals extending to whole of the United Kingdom
  151. IIRepeals extending to England, Wales and Scotland
  152. IIIRepeals extending to Northern Ireland only