# The Senedd Cymru (Representation of the People) Order 2025, Paragraph 16: Requirement to provide fresh signatures at five yearly intervals

Extent: E+W

(A1) This paragraph does not apply to an elector or proxy so far as that elector or proxy remains entitled to vote by post at a Senedd election.
(1) Every year by 31 January, the registration officer must send to every person who remains an absent voter and whose signature on the personal identifiers record is more than five years old, a notice in writing—
(a) requiring that person to provide a fresh signature, and
(b) informing that person of the date, being six weeks from the date of sending the notice, on which that person will cease to be entitled to vote by post or proxy in the event of a failure or refusal to provide a fresh signature.
(2) The notice must be sent by the registration officer to the current or last known address of the absent voter.
(3) If the absent voter has not responded to the notice within three weeks from the date on which the notice was sent, the registration officer must, as soon as practicable, send a copy of the notice to the absent voter.
(4) Where a notice or copy of a notice is sent by post, the registration officer may use—
(a) a prepaid universal service provider, or
(b) a prepaid commercial delivery firm.
(5) A notice or copy of a notice sent to an absent voter in accordance with sub-paragraph (1) or (3) must be accompanied by a pre-addressed reply envelope and, in the case of a notice or copy of a notice sent to an address in the United Kingdom, return postage must be prepaid.
(6) Upon the expiration of the six week period specified in the notice sent to the absent voter, the registration officer must determine whether the absent voter has failed or refused to provide a fresh signature.
(7) Where the registration officer determines that the absent voter has failed or refused to provide a fresh signature within the specified period, the registration officer must remove that person’s entry from the records kept pursuant to article 6(4) or 10(6) and from the postal voters list, list of proxies or proxy postal voters list kept under article 8(1) to (3) or 10(8).
(8) Where the registration officer removes an absent voter’s entry under sub-paragraph (7)—
(a) the registration officer must inform the absent voter, where appropriate, of the location of the polling station allotted or likely to be allotted to the voter under this Order;
(b) paragraphs 12(4), (6) and (7), and 13 apply as if the registration officer were refusing an application in accordance with this Schedule;
(c) in the case of an entry removed from the proxy postal voters list, the registration officer must also notify the elector who appointed the proxy.
(9) The registration officer must include in the notice to be sent to an absent voter regarding removal from the records kept pursuant to article 6(4) or 10(6) and from the postal voters list, list of proxies or proxy postal voters list kept pursuant to article 8(1) to (3) or 10(8), information—
(a) explaining the effect of such removal, and
(b) reminding the absent voter that they may make a fresh application under article 6(1) or (2), 7(1) or (2) or 10(4) to vote by post or proxy.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/wsi/2025/864/schedule/1/paragraph/16 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/senedd-cymru-representation-of-the-people-order-2025/schedule-1/paragraph-16
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.