New measures announced today address the unique challenges
for this year’s electoral canvass posed by coronavirus,
Constitution Minister confirms.
The annual canvass is a significant data-gathering exercise
whereby electoral administrators update their electoral
rolls - the lists of everyone in their community who is
registered to vote - confirming the details of electors who
should be added or removed.
- The government will amend the final date for this
year’s revised registers to be published, extending it from
1 December 2020 to February 2021.
This will allow local authority staff more time to complete
their canvassing and maintain the accuracy of their
registers, in light of practical consequences such as
redeployed resourcing and social distancing.
- The government will amend its Parliamentary
Constituencies Bill to allow for the upcoming, independent
boundary review to be based on data from a verified version
of electoral registers from March 2020 - and not from 1
December.
The next boundary review is set in law to begin in early
2021 and, as a rule, proposes updated and equalised UK
parliamentary constituencies based on electoral registers
as of 1 December 2020 - after the annual canvass is usually
completed.
The measure announced today will enable the four
independent Boundary Commissions - on a one-off-basis - to
use alternative data, from before government restrictions
were put in place to tackle the pandemic. This removes any
risk of using data potentially affected by the impacts of
coronavirus - ensuring the review is based on the most
accurate reflection of the UK electorate available.
The government has worked with the Office for National
Statistics, who will collate (and ultimately publish)
official data on the number of electors in all four nations
as of the beginning of March 2020.
Minister for the Constitution and Devolution, , said:
We have already made significant reforms to the canvass
process, meaning that it is now easier than ever to
complete.
Nonetheless, this government has been looking ahead
throughout this pandemic, including drawing up
contingency plans for those working in the electoral
community.
Both measures I have confirmed today are sensible
solutions to alleviate any concerns about public safety,
while also strengthening the accuracy of the forthcoming
canvass data and boundary review.
Changing the publication date for this year’s revised
electoral registers will have no negative impact on the
conduct of the May 2021 elections, rather it will allow
electoral administrators to better prepare for their safe
and effective conduct.
More information on the measures announced today can be
found here.
