Introduction Part 6.General Section 42 – Coming into force
131.Subsection (1) sets out the provisions of the Act that come into force on the day on which the Act receives Royal Assent.
132.The provisions that reduce the voting age, extend the vote to qualifying foreign citizens and change the law on disqualification will only have effect from the Senedd general election scheduled for May 2021. Similarly, subsection (5) provides that section 36 (timing of the first meeting) will only apply after that election.
133.Sections 12 to 26 of the Act which provide for persons aged 16 and 17 years and qualifying foreign citizens to register to vote come into force on 1 June 2020. These provisions only have effect from the Senedd general election scheduled for May 2021.
134.The provisions that relate to the Electoral Commission (section 28 and Schedule 2) will come into force by way of order made by the Welsh Ministers.
135.The provisions that change the name of the institution (Part 2 of the Act, including Schedule 1) will come into force on 6 May 2020.