PART 3ELECTIONS

Electoral registration

12Entitlement to be registered as a local government elector

1

In section 4 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2) (“the 1983 Act”) (entitlement to be registered as a local government elector)—

a

in subsection (3)(d), after “age” insert “ or, if resident in an area in Wales, is 16 years of age or over ”;

b

after subsection (3) insert—

3A

A person is also entitled to be registered in the register of local government electors for any electoral area in Wales if on the relevant date the person—

a

is resident in that area,

b

is not subject to any legal incapacity to vote (age apart) in an election of members (or of a member) of Senedd Cymru,

c

is a qualifying foreign citizen, and

d

is 16 years of age or over.

c

after subsection (5A) insert—

5B

In relation to a register of local government electors for any electoral area in Wales, the reference to “voting age” in subsection (5) is to be interpreted as “16 years of age”

2

In section 203(1) of the 1983 Act (local government provisions as to England and Wales) after the definition of “London member” insert—

“qualifying foreign citizen” means a person who—

a

is not a Commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or a relevant citizen of the Union, and

b

either—

i

is not a person who requires leave under the Immigration Act 1971 to enter or remain in the United Kingdom, or

ii

is such a person but for the time being has (or is, by virtue of any enactment, to be treated as having) any description of such leave.