The Welsh Government introduced a bill today [Monday,
2nd Oct] which paves the way for automatic voter
registration in future Welsh elections.
The Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill will modernise the
way local government and Senedd elections are run and confirms
the Welsh Government’s intention to introduce automatic
registration across Wales for those elections once a piloting
programme has been completed.
Local authorities will be invited to take part in a series of
trials focusing on the best way to collect data, including using
data that already exists, to support automatic registration.
Currently people must register in order to vote, but under the
new proposals local government will be required to register
people to the local government register without the need for an
application. This will make voting simpler – especially for young
people and for those who have moved to Wales from another
country.
The new legislation will also require Ministers to establish a
fund to help disabled people standing for Welsh elections in the
future with additional costs (e.g. mobility equipment and
communication software). This follows a successful pilot of such
a fund trialled in the May 2021 Senedd and May 2022 local
government elections.
Another requirement contained in the bill is for an online
platform to be set up by the Welsh Ministers containing
information about Welsh elections for voters. This will make sure
information on elections and candidates is readily available for
everyone.
, Counsel General and Minister
for the Constitution, said:
“The reforms in this bill continue the significant progress
we have made in strengthening Welsh democracy in recent years,
including extending the vote to 16 and 17-year-olds and
qualifying foreign nationals. Our ambition is for changes to be
in place in time for the next major devolved and local elections
in 2026 and 2027, bringing us another step closer towards
achieving our long-term vision for electoral reform.
“Ultimately this is about making it as easy as possible for
people to vote and participate in democracy. Our actions to
remove barriers are in direct contrast with the UK Government,
which has denied some voters their democratic right by requiring
photo ID in recent English local elections.”
Jess Blair, Director of Electoral Reform Society Cymru, said:
“The legislation introduced by the Welsh Government today will
bring democracy in Wales into the 21st century. It is welcome
that Ministers are looking at how to make voting easier for
people, removing barriers that we know many people face.
“The move to Automatic Voter Registration will remove a hurdle
for newly enfranchised voters and we hope it will lead to more
information sharing between services so voters no longer face the
hassle of updating their details when they move house. This move
brings Wales into line with leading democracies across the world
who automatically register voters as a matter of course.
“We welcome provisions to establish a new voter information
platform. Having a one stop shop where information on democracy
in Wales will be available will make it easier for voters to
access resources which currently sit in multiple places."
Notes to editors
Notes
Legislation would apply to Senedd and local Welsh elections. They
would not apply to UK Parliamentary and Police and Crime
Commissioner elections, which remain the responsibility of the UK
Government.
