Overview

This bill amends the Representation of the People Act 1983 to ensure that all electors present within the designated precincts of a polling station at the official closing time are allowed to vote, regardless of whether they arrived before the closing time. This applies to general, by, and local government elections.

Description

The bill adds two new rules (1A and 1B) to Schedule 1 of the 1983 Act. Rule 1A mandates that any elector within the polling station's precincts at the official closing time must be given a ballot paper and allowed to vote. This overrides the existing Rule 43, which details procedures at the close of the poll. Rule 1B designates the Presiding Officer, Returning Officer, or Acting Returning Officer as responsible for defining the boundaries of the polling station precincts.

Government Spending

The bill is not expected to significantly impact government spending. The additional administrative costs associated with allowing extra time for voting at the close of polls are likely to be minimal, as are the costs of defining precincts of polling stations. No specific figures are provided in the bill text.

Groups Affected

• Electors: The bill directly benefits electors who may arrive at a polling station just before closing time, ensuring they have the opportunity to vote.
• Polling Station Officials (Presiding Officers, Returning Officers, Acting Returning Officers): These officials will have additional responsibilities in defining precinct boundaries and managing the voting process until all electors within the precincts at closing time have voted.
• Political Parties: The impact on political parties will depend on how many electors are affected by this change, potentially impacting the final results, although the impact is likely to be small.

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