Representation of the People Act 1983

1983 CHAPTER 2

An Act to consolidate the Representation of the People Acts of 1949, 1969, 1977, 1978, and 1980, the Electoral Registers Acts of 1949 and 1953, the Elections (Welsh Forms) Act 1964, Part III of the Local Government Act 1972, sections 6 to 10 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the Representation of the People (Armed Forces) Act 1976, the Returning Officers (Scotland) Act 1977, section 3 of the Representation of the People Act 1981, section 62 of and Schedule 2 tothe Mental Health (Amendment) Act 1982, and connected provisions; and to repeal as obsolete the Representation of the People Act 1979 and other enactments related to the Representation of the People Acts.

[8th February 1983]

X1 Be it enacted by the Queen’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

Editorial Information

X1 In this Act references to constituency are to be construed as mentioned in Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 (c. 56, SIF 42), s. 1(2)

Extent Information

E1 Act extends to the United Kingdom, but see s. 205(2) for minor exclusions

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Act applied by S.R. 1989/48 art. 2, Sch. Pt. VII para. 38(4)

Act applied (8.11.1994) by 1994 c. 39, ss. 5(1), 7(2); S.I. 1994/2850, art. 2, Sch. 1

Act applied (with modifications) (temp. from 6.1.1995 until 1.4.1996) by S.I. 1994/3255, arts. 4-7, Schs. II-IV

Act applied (with modifications) (19.3.1998) by S.I. 1998/746, art. 12, Sch. 1 Table 1

Act applied (with modifications) (28.5.1998) by S.I. 1998/1287, arts. 1(2)(a), 3(1)(3)(5), Sch. 1; S.I. 1998/1313, art. 2

Act applied (with modifications) (E.W.) (1.2.2002) by The Local Authorities (Mayoral Elections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2002 (S.I. 2002/185), reg. 3(2), Sch. 2

Act applied (24.10.2002) by European Parliamentary Elections Act 2002 (c. 24), ss. 9(3), 18(2)

Act applied (with modifications) (9.7.2003) by The Local and European Parliamentary Elections (Registration of Citizens of Accession States) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/1557), reg. 2

Act applied (with modifications) (E.W.S.) (27.3.2007) by The Local Authorities (Mayoral Elections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/1024), reg. 3(2)(3)(a)(4), Sch. 2 (with Sch. 4 para. 9) (as amended (E.W.) (6.4.2014) by S.I. 2014/370, reg. 6(3) (with reg. 1(2)) and (16.1.2023) by The Voter Identification Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/1382), regs. 1(3), 44 (with reg. 1(6)(7)); and (26.3.2024) by The Representation of the People (Variation of Election Expenses and Exclusions) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/428), regs. 1(1)(b), 3 (with reg. 6))

Act applied (with modifications) (E.W.) (31.1.2017) by The Combined Authorities (Mayoral Elections) Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/67), art. 3(2)-(4), Sch. 2 (as amended (16.1.2023) by S.I. 2022/1382, regs. 1(3), 95 (with reg. 1(6)(7)); (31.1.2024) by S.I. 2023/1147, regs. 1(3)(g), 20(5)(a)) and (7.2.2024) by S.I. 2024/131, regs. 1(3), 12(2))

C2 Act amended (N.I.) by S.I. 1986/1091, reg. 51(6)

Act amended (E.W.) by S.I. 1986/1081, reg. 51(6) (which S.I. was revoked (23.3.2004) by S.I. 2004/294, reg. 3)

Act amended by Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50), s. 9(3)

Act amended by Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50), s. 27(2)

Act amended (N.I.) (prosp.) by Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50), s. 10, Sch. 1 para. 24

Act amended (N.I.) by Elections (Northern Ireland) Act 1985 (c. 2), s. 4

C3 Act extended (N.I.) with modifications by Elections (Northern Ireland) Act 1985 (c. 2), s. 3(7)

Act: specified provisions extended (with modifications) (23.4.1999) by S.I. 1999/1214, reg. 3(1)(4)(7), Sch. 1 (which S.I. was revoked (23.3.2004) by S.I. 2004/293, reg. 126)

Act (except ss. 67-70) (as extended by reg. 3(1)(4)(7), Sch. 1 of the amending S.I.) modified by S.I. 1999/1214, reg. 10(9), 11(9) (which S.I. was revoked (23.3.2004) by S.I. 2004/293, reg. 126)

C4 Act: power to apply conferred by Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50), s. 3(7)(b)

Act: power to apply conferred (19.11.1998) by 1998 c. 46, s. 12(4)(5)

Act: power to apply or incorporate conferred (1.12.1998) by 1998 c. 38, s. 11(3)(a); S.I. 1998/2789, art. 2

C5 Act modified by Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50), s. 20(2)(b)

Act modified (17.2.1994) by S.I. 1994/342, arts. 1(2), 18(1)(b)

Act modified (23.3.2004) by The European Parliamentary Elections Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/293), reg. 10, Sch. 2 paras. 2(7)(b), 7(3)

C6 Act continued (with modifications) by S.I. 2001/1298, reg. 10(1)(c)

C7 Act (except ss. 6-10): functions transferred (25.11.2002) by The Transfer of Functions (Transport, Local Government and the Regions) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/2626), art. 11(1), Sch. 1 (with arts. 12, 13)

Act (except s. 161): functions transferred (19.8.2003) by The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs Order 2003 (S.I. 2003/1887), art. 4, Sch. 1

C8 Act: s. 46(1)-(4) construed as part of the amending Act (1.1.2007 for E.W.S. and 1.7.2008 for N.I.) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 46(5), 77; S.I. 2006/3412, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 14(v) (subject to transitional provisions in art. 6, Sch. 2); S.I. 2008/1316, arts. 2, 4

C9 Act: power to amend conferred (1.1.2007) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 72, 77; S.I. 2006/3412, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 10 (subject to transitional provisions in art. 6, Sch. 2)

Act: power to amend conferred (25.7.2006) by Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006 (c. 33), ss. 1(2)(a), 31(1)

C10 Act: power to modify conferred by Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32), s. 160(1), s. 4(4)(a), the amending provision coming into force immediately after "the 2007 election" (held on 3.5.2007) subject to s. 161(4)(5) of the amending Act, which provides for certain provisions to come into force for specified purposes immediately after the end of "the initial period" (which ended with the day of the first appointment of a First Minister on 25.5.2007) - see ss. 46, 161(1)(4)(5) of the amending Act.

Act: power to modify conferred by Government of Wales Act 2006 (c. 32), s. 160(1), s. 13(4)(5), the amending provision coming into force immediately after "the 2007 election" (held on 3.5.2007) subject to s. 161(4)(5) of the amending Act, which provides for certain provisions to come into force for specified purposes immediately after the end of "the initial period" (which ended with the day of the first appointment of a First Minister on 25.5.2007) - see ss. 46, 161(1)(4)(5) of the amending Act.

C11 Act applied (E.W.) (5.3.2008) by The Cheshire (Structural Changes) Order 2008 (S.I. 2008/634), art. 13(6)

C12 Act: power to amend conferred (prosp.) by Political Parties and Elections Act 2009 (c. 12), ss. 34(3)(b), 43(1)

C13 Act: certain functions made exercisable concurrently (18.8.2010) by The Lord President of the Council Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/1837), arts. 1(2), 3

C14 Act applied in part (with modifications) (16.2.2011) by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 (c. 1), Sch. 4 para. 1(1)

C15 Act modified (16.2.2011 for N.I.) by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 (c. 1), Sch. 3 para. 19(3)

C16 Act modified (16.2.2011 for E.W.S.) by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 (c. 1), Sch. 3 para. 8(3)

C17 Act: power to apply or incorporate (with modifications) conferred (15.9.2011) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), s. 58(1)-(3)(7)

C18 Act: power to apply or incorporate (with modifications) conferred (25.4.2012) by Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 (c. 13), ss. 54(2)-(5), 157(1); S.I. 2012/1129, art. 2(b)

C19 Act modified (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. 5 para. 30(5); S.I. 2014/414, art. 5(n); S.I. 2014/2439, art. 2(m)

C20 Act applied in part (E.W.S.) (19.9.2014) by The Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 (Transitional Provisions) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/3197), art. 14(2)(b)

C21 Act functions transferred (22.6.2015) by The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Order 2015 (S.I. 2015/1376), arts. 1(2), 3(1), Sch. 1 (with art. 9)

C22 Act functions transferred (9.11.2016) by The Transfer of Functions (Elections, Referendums, Third Sector and Information) Order 2016 (S.I. 2016/997), arts. 1(2), 3(1), Sch. 1 para. (a) (with arts. 3(2), 6, 12)

C23 Act power to apply (with modifications) conferred by Scotland Act 1998 (c. 46), ss. 12(4)(5) (as substituted (18.5.2017) by Scotland Act 2016 (c. 11), ss. 4(1), 72(4)(a); S.I. 2017/608, reg. 2(1)(b))

C24 Act functions transferred (24.5.2018) by The Welsh Ministers (Transfer of Functions) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/644), arts. 1(1), 45, Sch. 1 para. 1 (as modified (18.12.2019) by S.I. 2019/1506, arts. 1(2), 3)

C25 Act: functions cease to be exercisable concurrently (8.12.2021) by The Transfer of Functions (Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) Order 2021 (S.I. 2021/1265), arts. 1(2), 9, Sch. 1(a) (with arts. 11, 12)

C26 Act applied (1.11.2023) by Elections Act 2022 (c. 37), s. 67(1), Sch. 11 paras. 1(3), 4(3); S.I. 2023/1145, reg. 3(l)