Introduction Extension of right to vote
13.This Part makes provision for lowering the voting age and extending the franchise to qualifying foreign citizens at Senedd elections. The Part mostly contains amendments to existing electoral law, in particular the Representation of the People Act 1983 (“the 1983 Act”) and the Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001(SI 2001/341) (“the 2001 Regulations”) which provide much of the operational detail on the registration system (amongst other things). The amendments made to Acts and regulations in this Part have effect only for the purposes of an election for membership of the Senedd.
14.This Part also amends the Political Parties Elections and Referendums Act 2000 to provide for oversight of the Electoral Commission (in respect of Senedd elections and local elections in Wales) to, in the future, fall to the Senedd. It also makes provision as regards funding for those elections to be payable out of the Welsh Consolidated Fund and for connected auditing arrangements.