Prospective

1Amendment of the Representation of the People Act 1983U.K.

In the Representation of the People Act 1983, before section 63 insert—

“62CInfluencing voters at polling booths

(1)A person who—

(a)is with another person at a polling booth, and

(b)intends to influence that other person to vote in a particular way or to refrain from voting,

commits an offence.

(2)A person who—

(a)is near a polling booth when another person is at that booth, and

(b)intends to influence that other person to vote in a particular way or to refrain from voting,

commits an offence.

(3)For the purposes of this section—

(a)a “polling booth” is a compartment in a polling station in which voters can mark votes screened from observation;

(b)assisting a person with voting, in accordance with rule 39 of Schedule 1 or any other legislation, is not influencing that person to vote in a particular way or to refrain from voting;

(c)a person may be near one polling booth while at a different polling booth.

(4)A person who commits an offence under this section is liable on summary conviction—

(a)in England and Wales, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, to a fine or to both;

(b)in Scotland or Northern Ireland, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to both.

(5)This section does not have effect in relation to an election in Scotland or Wales under the local government Act.”

Commencement Information