Commentary on Sections Part 2: Registration of electors Section 13 – Registration in pursuance of a service declaration
83.Section 13 amends sections 15 and 59 of the 1983 Act. The purpose of the section is to encourage service personnel to register to vote.
84.Subsection (1) of section 13 adds new subsections (9) to (12) to section 15 of the 1983 Act. Section 15(9) and (11) confer power on the Secretary of State to extend the length of service declarations from a year to up to five years and specify that he must consult the Electoral Commission before making the affirmative resolution Order. Section 15(9) provides that only service personnel, and their wives, spouses or civil partners, will be affected by the extension of service declarations.
85.Subsection (2) of section 13 amends subsections (3) and (4) of section 59 of the 1983 Act. The amendments restate the duties on appropriate government departments regarding registration and voting arrangements for employed service personnel. Section 59(3C) and (3D) will oblige the Ministry of Defence to maintain a record of the electoral registration arrangements of members of the forces, and must make arrangements to enable service personnel to update such information annually.