Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024
| Act of Senedd Cymru | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act of Senedd Cymru to make provision about electoral administration and registration in Wales; piloting of changes to the electoral system in Wales; the system for reviewing arrangements for local government in Wales; disqualifying community councillors from membership of Senedd Cymru; the corrupt practice of undue influence as it applies to Senedd Cymru elections and local government elections in Wales; and the functions and constitution of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 2024 asc 5 |
| Introduced by | Mick Antoniw MS, Counsel General |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 9 September 2024 |
Status: Current legislation | |
| History of passage through Parliament | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
| Text of the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk. | |
The Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024 (asc 5) is an Act of Senedd Cymru that was introduced in October 2023 and received royal assent on 9 September 2024.
The Act introduced numerous electoral reforms to Wales, including:
- legislating for automatic voter registration,
- reforming the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales,
- disqualifying members of the Senedd from having dual mandates in local government,
Background
[edit]In reviewing the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013, the post-legislative scrutiny select committee of the House of Lords, recommended automatic voter registration.[1] The Electoral Reform Society had called for automatic voter registration.[2][3] A report published by Unlock Democracy indicated support for electoral reform including automatic voter registration.[4] The Electoral Commission published a report on electoral registers in the UK, detailing how automatic voter registration could be implemented.[5]
After the 2021 Senedd election, there were 5 MSs who were also councillors.[6] It was reported that members of the Senedd who were councillors had significantly reduced their attendance at council meetings since their election to the Senedd.[7] Senedd Members have already been prohibited from also holding a dual mandate as a member of the UK Parliament since the passage of the Wales Act 2014.[8]
The Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 had renamed the Local Democracy and Boundary Commission for Wales to the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru.
Provisions
[edit]The Act allows for pilots for automatic voter registration for Senedd and Local Government elections.[9] Registration for UK Parliament elections would not be affected, as they are a reserved matter.[10]
The Act allows ends the exemptions for members of the Senedd holding dual mandates (serving in two roles) as councillors.[9]
The Act establishes an electoral management board for the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru, which would be responsible for an elections information platform.[9]
Under amendment by Adam Price, the Act makes it an offence for a Senedd Member or a candidate in a Senedd election to "wilfully" and "with the intent to mislead" make, publish or permit to be published on their behalf a statement that purports to be a fact they know is false or deceptive.[11]
Passage
[edit]In written evidence during the passage of the bill, Electoral Reform Society Cymru declared their support for the bill.[12]
In January 2021, the Legislation, Justice and Constitution Committee released a report recommending certain amendments to the bill.[13]
The bill was passed by the Senedd on 9 July 2024.[14] The Act received royal assent on 21 September 2024.[15]
Reaction
[edit]Electoral Reform Society Cymru described the Act alongside the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024, as "bold steps" but that there was also "room to go further".[16]
See also
[edit]- Individual Electoral Registration
- Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013
- Elections Act 2022
- Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024
References
[edit]- ^ An electoral system fit for today? More to be done (Report). House of Lords. 2020-07-08. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Briefing on Automatic Voter Registration (AVR)". 2024-05-02. Archived from the original on 2024-06-06.
- ^ Mortimer, Josiah (2016-06-07). "It's time to talk about automatic voter registration". Electoral Reform Society. Archived from the original on 2024-05-29. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
- ^ James, Toby S. (2023-11-21). Register Every Voter: How Automatic Voter Registration can bring the forgotten millions back into our democracy. Unlock Democracy.
- ^ 2023 report: Electoral registers in the UK (Report). 2024-01-16. Archived from the original on 2024-07-04.
- ^ Molaski, Ruth (2021-06-21). "The Members of the Senedd who are also councillors". WalesOnline. Archived from the original on 2021-06-21. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
- ^ "Senedd Members who continue to serve as councillors struggling to do both jobs, data suggests". Nation.Cymru. 2021-12-19. Archived from the original on 2024-02-25. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
- ^ "Wales Act 2014". parliament.uk.
- ^ a b c Senedd Cymru – Welsh Parliament. Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024 as amended (see also enacted form), from legislation.gov.uk.
- ^ Evans, Tomos (2023-10-02). "New law to automatically register voters will 'remove barriers', Welsh government claims". Sky News. Sky UK. Archived from the original on 2024-04-09. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
- ^ "Elections and Elected Bodies Bill: What happens next?". Senedd Cymru. 2024-06-27. Archived from the original on 2024-06-27. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
- ^ "Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill – Written Evidence". Electoral Reform Society. 2023-11-17. Archived from the original on 2024-05-28. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
- ^ "Report on the Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill" (PDF). Senedd. Senedd Commission. 2024. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
- ^ "Wales passes landmark Bill to introduce automatic registration of electors and to modernise electoral administration". Welsh Government. 2024-09-07. Archived from the original on 2024-07-09. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
- ^ "New law modernises Welsh democracy | GOV.WALES". Welsh Government. 2024-09-10. Archived from the original on 2024-09-10. Retrieved 2024-09-21.
- ^ Abraham, Tom (2024-09-18). "What to expect from the upcoming Senedd Reforms". Electoral Reform Society. Archived from the original on 2024-09-21. Retrieved 2024-09-22.