Overview

This bill aims to prevent individuals from registering to vote in UK Parliamentary elections at more than one address. It mandates the Secretary of State to create regulations ensuring electoral registration officers verify addresses and prevent duplicate registrations.

Description

The Voter Registration Bill seeks to amend existing electoral registration processes. It places a legal duty on the Secretary of State to create regulations that:

• Require electoral registration officers to check if an applicant is already registered at another address.
• Compel officers to inform applicants of the illegality of registering at multiple addresses.
• Force applicants to choose a single address for registration, removing the other registration if necessary.
• Prevent registration at a new address if the applicant decides to retain their existing registration.

The bill defines "electoral registration officer" and "Parliamentary election" according to existing legislation (Representation of the People Act 1983 and Interpretation Act 1978 respectively) and "Parliamentary electoral register" as the register maintained under section 9 of the Representation of the People Act 1983. The bill applies to England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland and comes into effect upon receiving Royal Assent.

Government Spending

The bill is not expected to significantly impact government spending. The costs will likely be related to the creation and implementation of the new regulations by the Secretary of State and the administrative changes required by electoral registration officers. Specific financial figures are not provided in the bill itself.

Groups Affected

• Electoral Registration Officers: They will be responsible for implementing the new regulations, potentially requiring additional training and administrative resources.
• Voters: Individuals attempting to register at multiple addresses will be prevented from doing so. Those currently registered at multiple addresses may need to choose a single address.
• Political Parties: The bill could affect their campaigning strategies and voter registration drives.
• Parliament: The bill will require parliamentary oversight in the form of approval of the regulations issued by the Secretary of State.

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