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.
| 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| Text of statute as originally enacted | |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 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
editIn 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
editThe 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
editIn 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
editElectoral 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
editReferences
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.