Commentary on Sections Section 6: Personation: arrestable offence
19.This section extends the powers of arrest for the offence of personation (when someone votes as someone else without their consent). The existing power of arrest is restricted to arrest in relation to personation at polling stations, and this provision reflects a recommendation by the Electoral Commission that the police be given the power of arrest at any location. This will only apply to regions where piloting is taking place under the Act and is limited to the 2004 European Parliamentary and combined local government elections.