The Electoral Administration Act aims to tackle four key areas at the core of a healthy democracy: improving access and engagement in the democratic system; improving confidence in the electoral system; extending openness and transparency in political party funding; and maintaining professional delivery of elections.
The Act received Royal Assent on 11 July 2006 and where possible we aim to implement the Act on a nationwide basis for the May 2007 elections.
Although the Electoral Administration Act received Royal Assent in July 2006, this does not mean that it is automatically law. Provisions in the Act need to be brought into force via a commencement order and supported by secondary legislation where appropriate.
All provisions of the Electoral Administration Act have been commenced, with the exception of:
Provisions relating to anonymous registration and observers, while commenced on 1 January 2007, will not take effect until June 2007 and 31 January 2007 respectively.
Information for electoral administrators
We have collated some FAQs from electoral administrators on voter registration, signatures, absent voting and canvassing.
FAQs for electoral administrators
We aim to implement the Electoral Administration Act on a nation wide basis, where possible, for the May elections in 2007. This will involve making the relevant secondary legislation to implement the Act before 3 May 2007.
The following secondary legislation has been laid in Parliament. Its provisions include: governing the process concerning anonymous registration; improving the security of the postal voting system; and extending access to the electoral process. While in force, these provisions do not apply to elections prior to May 2007.
Secondary legislation for Electoral Administration Act 2006
The Electoral Administration Bill was introduced to the House of Commons on the 11th October 2005.
The table below outlines the legislative passage of the Act. Transcripts of the debates can be found on the Parliament website
House |
Stage |
Date |
|---|---|---|
| Commons | Introduction and publication | 11 October 2005 |
| Commons | Second reading | 25 October 2005 |
| Commons | Amends to committee of the whole house | 1 November 2005 |
| Commons | Amends to standing committee | 1 November 2005 |
| Commons | Committee of the whole house | 8 November 2005 |
| Commons | Standing committee | 15 November 2005 |
| Commons | Standing committee | 17 November 2005 |
| Commons | Standing committee | 22 November 2005 |
| Commons | Report stage | 11 January 2006 |
| Lords | Grand committee | 28 February 2006 |
| Lords | Recommitment | 8 May 2006 |
| Lords | Report stage | 15 May 2006 |
| Lords | Third Reading | 7 June 2006 |
| Commons | Consideration of Lords Amendments | 13 June 2006 |
| Lords | Consideration of Commons Reasons | 20 June 2006 |
| Commons | Consideration of Lords Amendment | 28 June 2006 |
| Lords | Consideration of Commons Reason | 10th July 2006 |
| Commons | Royal Assent | 11th July 2006 |
| Lords | Royal Assent | 11th July 2006 |
Commencement |
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The Electoral Administration Act takes forward the majority of the recommendations made by the Electoral Commission in its reports:
These documents can be found on the Electoral Commission website
The Act aims to take forward progress on the Government's three core objectives for elections: