Source · Select Committees · Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee
Recommendation 15
15
Paragraph: 55
There appears to be potential for a contradiction in the drafting of Schedule 1 as...
Conclusion
There appears to be potential for a contradiction in the drafting of Schedule 1 as the provisions setting out both the Voter Card and the Anonymous Voter Card leave open the possibility of a limited period of validity. However, the rules for the documents which can be accepted as forms of identification at a polling station state that such identification will be accepted “regardless of expiry date”. If this is a drafting error the Bill should be amended. If this is not a drafting error, a clearer 66 The Elections Bill explanation needs to be provided as to how a period of validity could work for a Voter Card if an expiry date is not a bar to it being used for its sole purpose at a polling station.
Paragraph Reference:
55
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The Government’s intention is that ‘expired’ documents will remain valid for the purpose of voter identification so long as the photograph remains a good likeness, although they have expired for their primary purpose. The Committee is correct that this should also be applicable to the Voter Card itself, as a general principle. The only exception to the principle that Voter Cards will not have an expiry date, and thus the ability to define a period of validity is necessary in the legislation, is for temporary Voter Cards which may be issued, where necessary, close to an election and will be valid for a particular election day only. While not expiring on a particular date, Anonymous Electors Documents (which will have different requirements to enable effective verification of identity whilst also protecting the voter’s anonymity) will need to have the elector’s current electoral number on, and are therefore likely to need replacing more frequently to remain valid. However, where an anonymous elector’s electoral number is changed by an Electoral Registration Officer (separate to an application for a new anonymous entry), the onus will be on that Officer to provide an updated document. In considering the comments made by the Committee, the Government has identified a small number of clarifications around these issues that we consider will aid understanding and certainty. The Bill was therefore amended at Commons Report Stage to ensure that Electoral Registration Officers (EROs) have the flexibility to issue temporary versions of the Voter Card and the Anonymous Elector’s Document - which will only be valid for use at a single poll or set of polls on a single day - if the circumstances require it (for instance, if an application is made particularly close to polling day or if there is an issue with the