Representation of the People Act 1983

[F1 9E Maintenance of registers: invitations to register in Great Britain U.K.

(1) A registration officer in Great Britain must give a person an invitation to apply for registration in a register maintained by the officer if—

(a) the officer is aware of the person's name and address,

(b) the person is not registered in the register, and

(c) the officer has reason to believe that the person may be entitled to be registered in the register.

(2) Regulations may make provision about invitations under subsection (1), including—

(a) provision about the form and contents of invitations;

(b) provision about the giving of invitations (for example, provision about the manner in which they must be given or how often they must be given);

(c) provision requiring invitations to be accompanied by, or combined with, application forms or other documents (including partially completed application forms).

(3) Regulations under subsection (2) may confer functions on the Electoral Commission (for example, the Commission may be required to design an invitation).

(4) A registration officer who gives a person an invitation under subsection (1) may subsequently require the person to make an application for registration by a specified date.

(5) A requirement under subsection (4) is of no effect if the person is not entitled to be registered.

(6) Regulations—

(a) may make provision about requirements under subsection (4) (including provision for them to be cancelled in specified circumstances);

(b) may specify steps that a registration officer must take before imposing a requirement.

(7) A registration officer may impose a civil penalty on a person who fails to comply with a requirement imposed by the officer under subsection (4).

[F2 (7A) In relation to the registration of local government electors in Scotland, subsection (7) does not apply to a person who was under the age of 16 at the time the requirement was imposed.]

[F3 (7A) In relation to the registration of local government electors in Wales, subsection (7) does not apply to a person who was under the age of 16 at the time the requirement was imposed.]

(8) For more about civil penalties under this section, see Schedule ZA1.]

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 9E 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), ss. 5(1), 27(1) (with Sch. 5); S.I. 2014/414, art. 5(e); S.I. 2014/2439, art. 2(d)

F2 S. 9E(7A) inserted (S.) (25.7.2015) by Scottish Elections (Reduction of Voting Age) Act 2015 (asp 7), ss. 3(1), 21

F3 S. 9E(7A) inserted (E.W.) (1.6.2020) by Senedd and Elections (Wales) Act 2020 (anaw 1), ss. 14(1), 42(3)(a)