Representation of the People Act 1983

[F1 13A Alteration of registers. U.K.

(1) This section applies where, at any time (“the relevant time”) after the publication of a revised version of a register by a registration officer under section 13 above, the registration officer—

[F2 (za) is required by section 10ZC(1) to enter a person in the register;

(zb) is required by section 10ZD(1) to alter a person's entry in the register;]

(a) on an application for registration [F3 in Northern Ireland] being made by any person in accordance with the prescribed requirements, determines that that person is entitled to be so registered;

(b) is required, by virtue of any provision of this Part of this Act, to remove a person’s entry from the register;

(c) is notified of any decision on an appeal by virtue of section 56 [F4 or 58] below which requires any such alteration in the register as is mentioned in subsection (4) of that section; or

(d) determines that the register contains any clerical error [F5 or, in the case of a registration officer in Great Britain, determines that the register contains any information that is incorrect].

(2) In such a case the registration officer shall (subject to subsection (3) below) issue, in the prescribed manner, a notice specifying the appropriate alteration in the register; and—

(a) the notice shall be so issued by him—

(i) on the first day of the month which follows that in which the relevant time falls, or

(ii) if that day is less than 14 days after that time, on the first day of the month immediately following that month; and

(b) (subject to [F6 sections 13B(1) and 13BA(1)] below) the alteration in question shall have effect as from the beginning of the day on which the notice is issued.

[F7 (2ZA) A person who makes an application under subsection (1)(a) in respect of an address in Northern Ireland may submit it through the UK digital service, unless it is an application in pursuance of—

(a) residence determined in accordance with section 6 (residence: merchant seamen),

(b) a declaration of local connection, or

(c) an overseas elector’s declaration.]

[F8 (2A) Subject to [F9 subsections (2B) and (2C)] below, an application for registration under subsection (1)(a) above in respect of an address in Northern Ireland shall include—

(a) the signature of each of the persons to whom the application relates;

(b) the date of birth of each such person; and

(c) in relation to each such person—

(i) his national insurance number or a statement that he does not have one,

F10 (ii) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and

(iii) any other address in the United Kingdom in respect of which he is or has applied to be registered,

and the power in subsection (1)(a) above to prescribe requirements includes power to give effect to the requirements of this subsection.

(2B) The Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland may dispense with the requirement mentioned in subsection (2A)(a) above in relation to any person if he is satisfied that it is not reasonably practicable for that person to sign in a consistent and distinctive way because of any incapacity of his or because he is unable to read.]

[F11 (2C) The requirement mentioned in subsection (2A)(a) does not apply to an application submitted through the UK digital service.]

(3) Subsection (2) above does not require a registration officer to issue a notice under that subsection in a case where (apart from this subsection) that subsection would require the notice to be issued—

(a) at the beginning of the month containing the date on which a revised version of the register is next due to be published in accordance with section 13(1) or (3) above, or

(b) at the beginning of either of the two months preceding that containing the date on which a revised version of the register is next due to be published in accordance with [F12 section 13(1)(a)] above,

and in such a case the alteration in question shall be made in that revised version of the register.

[F13 (3A) Subsection (2)(a)(ii) also does not require a registration officer in Great Britain to issue a notice under subsection (2) in a case where the month which follows that in which the relevant time falls is the month containing the date on which a revised version of the register is next due to be published in accordance with section 13(1)(a); and in such a case the alteration in question shall be made in that revised version of the register.]

(4) Subsection (2) above also does not require a registration officer to issue a notice under that subsection in a case where section [F14 13AB(2),] 13B(3)[F15 , (3B) or (3D)][F16 , 13BA(3), (6) or (9) or 13BC(3) or (6)] below requires him to issue a notice under that provision.

(5) No alteration affecting a published version of a register of electors shall be made otherwise than in accordance with [F17 this section, section [F18 13AB,] [F19 section 13B[F20 , section 13BA or section 13BC] below]].

(6) For the purposes of subsection (1) above “determines” means determines in accordance with regulations; and section 119 below shall apply for the purposes of subsection (2)(a) above as if it were contained in Part II of this Act.

[F21 (7) In this section, “the UK digital service” has the same meaning as in section 10ZF, and references to an application submitted through the UK digital service shall be construed in accordance with subsection (4) of that section.]]

Textual Amendments

F1 Ss. 13-13B substituted (29.1.2001 for certain purposes and 16.2.2001 otherwise) for s. 13 by 2000 c. 2, s. 8(a), Sch. 1 para. 6; S.I. 2001/116, art. 2(1)(2) (with art. 2(4))

F2 S. 13A(1)(za)(zb) inserted (10.6.2014 for E.W., 15.9.2014 for N.I., 19.9.2014 for S.) by Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 (c. 6), s. 27(1), Sch. 4 para. 12(2)(a) (with Sch. 5); S.I. 2014/414, art. 5(m); S.I. 2014/2439, art. 2(l)

F3 Words in s. 13A(1)(a) inserted (10.6.2014 for E.W., 15.9.2014 for N.I., 19.9.2014 for S.) by Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 (c. 6), s. 27(1), Sch. 4 para. 12(2)(b) (with Sch. 5); S.I. 2014/414, art. 5(m); S.I. 2014/2439, art. 2(l)

F4 Words in s. 13A(1)(c) inserted (14.5.2008) by Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 (c. 33), ss. 30(1), 31, Sch. 4 para. 4(2); S.I. 2008/1318, art. 2

F5 Words in s. 13A(1)(d) inserted (10.6.2014 for E.W., 15.9.2014 for N.I., 19.9.2014 for S.) by Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 (c. 6), s. 27(1), Sch. 1 para. 3 (with Sch. 5); S.I. 2014/414, art. 5(k); S.I. 2014/2439, art. 2(j)

F6 Words in s. 13A(2)(b) substituted (14.5.2008) by Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 (c. 33), ss. 30(1), 31, Sch. 4 para. 4(3); S.I. 2008/1318, art. 2

F7 S. 13A(2ZA) inserted (31.5.2018) by The Representation of the People (Electronic Communications and Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/699), regs. 1(2), 2(6)(a)

F8 S. 13A(2A)(2B) inserted (N.I.) (1.9.2002) by Electoral Fraud (Northern Ireland) Act 2002 (c. 13), s. 1(4); S.I. 2002/1648, art. 3

F9 Words in s. 13A(2A) substituted (31.5.2018) by The Representation of the People (Electronic Communications and Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/699), regs. 1(2), 2(6)(b)

F10 S. 13A(2A)(c)(ii) repealed (1.10.2014) by Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 (c. 13), ss. 14(1)(a)(vi), 28; S.I. 2014/2613, art. 2(2)(a)

F11 S. 13A(2C) inserted (31.5.2018) by The Representation of the People (Electronic Communications and Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/699), regs. 1(2), 2(6)(c)

F12 Words in s. 13A(3)(b) substituted (1.12.2006) by Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 (c. 33), ss. 5(2), 31; S.I. 2006/2688, art. 3(1)(2)(a)

F13 S. 13A(3A) inserted (10.6.2014 for E.W., 15.9.2014 for N.I., 19.9.2014 for S.) by Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 (c. 6), s. 27(1), Sch. 4 para. 12(3) (with Sch. 5); S.I. 2014/414, art. 5(m); S.I. 2014/2439, art. 2(l)

F14 Words in s. 13A(4) inserted (6.4.2014) by Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 (c. 6), ss. 16(2)(a), 27(1); S.I. 2014/414, art. 3(b) (with art. 4)

F15 Words in s. 13A(4) inserted (E.W.S.) (1.1.2007) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 11(6), 77, Sch. 1 para. 32; S.I. 2006/3412, art. 3, Sch. 1 paras. 2, 12(b) (subject to transitional provisions in art. 6, Sch. 2)

F16 Words in s. 13A(4) substituted (4.3.2016) by Recall of MPs Act 2015 (c. 25), s. 24(3), Sch. 2 para. 3(2); S.I. 2016/290, reg. 2

F17 Words in s. 13A(5) substituted (4.9.2009) by Political Parties and Elections Act 2009 (c. 12), ss. 39, 43(1), Sch. 6 para. 3; S.I. 2009/2395, art. 2 (with art. 3)

F18 Word in s. 13A(5) inserted (6.4.2014) by Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 (c. 6), ss. 16(2)(b), 27(1); S.I. 2014/414, art. 3(b) (with art. 4)

F19 Words in s. 13A(5) substituted (10.6.2014 for E.W., 15.9.2014 for N.I., 19.9.2014 for S.) by Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 (c. 6), s. 27(1), Sch. 4 para. 12(4) (with Sch. 5); S.I. 2014/414, art. 5(m); S.I. 2014/2439, art. 2(l)

F20 Words in s. 13A(5) substituted (4.3.2016) by Recall of MPs Act 2015 (c. 25), s. 24(3), Sch. 2 para. 3(3); S.I. 2016/290, reg. 2

F21 S. 13A(7) inserted (31.5.2018) by The Representation of the People (Electronic Communications and Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/699), regs. 1(2), 2(6)(d)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Ss. 13-13B extended (N.I.) (with modifications) by Elected Authorites (Northern Ireland) Act 1989 (c. 3 SIF 42), ss. 2, 13(6), Sch. 1 Pt. I as amended (16.2.2001) by 2000 c. 2, s. 8, Sch. 3 para. 3(5); S.I. 2001/116, art. 2(1) (with art. 2(3)-(5))

C2 S. 13A applied (with modifications) (E.W.) (16.2.2001) by S.I. 2001/341, reg. 13(4)(5), Sch. 4 Pt. I

S. 13A applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (16.2.2001) by S.I. 2001/400, reg. 13(3)(4), Sch. 4 Pt. I

S. 13A applied (with modifications) (9.4.2001) by S.I. 2001/1184, reg. 9, Sch. Pt. I (as substituted (17.3.2009) by S.I. 2009/726, regs. 1(1), 2(3)(4), Sch.)

C3 S. 13A excluded (N.I.) (24.2.2005) (temp. until 23.2.2006) by Electoral Registration (Northern Ireland) Act 2005 (c. 1), ss. 1(3), 3(1) (subject to s. 3(2))

C4 S. 13A applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (1.7.2008) by The Representation of the People (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/1741), reg. 14(3)(4), Sch. 4

C5 S. 13A applied (with modifications) (S.) (8.8.2013) by Scottish Independence Referendum (Franchise) Act 2013 (asp 13), ss. 6, 13(1), sch. 1 Pts. 1, 2 (with s. 13(2))

C6 S. 13A excluded (S.) (25.7.2015) by Scottish Elections (Reduction of Voting Age) Act 2015 (asp 7), ss. 18(2), 21

C7 S. 13A(2) excluded (S.) (30.1.2020) by Referendums (Scotland) Act 2020 (asp 2), s. 41, Sch. 1 para. 17(1)

C8 S. 13A(3)(b) modified (N.I.) (22.10.2003) by The Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections and Periods of Suspension) Act 2003 (Consequential Modifications) Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/2696), art. 3(b)