REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE Part 1 Introduction Citation and interpretation 1 1 These Regulations may be cited as the Elections Act 2022 (Commencement No. 9, Transitional and Savings Provisions and Appointed and Specified Days) and Ballot Secrecy Act 2023 (Commencement) Regulations 2023. 2 In these Regulations— “ combined authority mayoral election ” means an election for the return of a mayor as provided for in an order made under Schedule 5B to the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 ; “ EA 2022 ” means the Elections Act 2022; “ ELA 1962 ” means the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962 ; “ local authority mayoral election ” means an election in England for the return of an elected mayor as defined by section 9H(1) of the Local Government Act 2000 ; “ local election ” has the same meaning as in section 130(1) of ELA 1962 ; “ local government election ” has the same meaning as in section 203(1) of RPA 1983 ; “ relevant rule ” means (as the case may be)— in the case of a parliamentary election or an election to the Northern Ireland Assembly, rule 5 of Schedule 1 to RPA 1983 ; in the case of a local election in Northern Ireland, rule 4 of Schedule 5 to ELA 1962 ; the corresponding rule in the rules made under— in the case of a combined authority mayoral election, paragraph 12(1)(a) of Schedule 5B to the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009; in the case of a local authority mayoral election, section 9HE(1)(a) of the Local Government Act 2000 ; in the case of a referendum under Part 1A of the Local Government Act 2000 , section 9MG(2) or (3) of that Act ; in the case of a referendum under Chapter 4ZA of Part 1 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 , section 52ZQ(1) or (2) of that Act ; in the case of a referendum under Schedule 4B to the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 , paragraph 16(1) of that Schedule; or in the case of any other local government election, section 36 of RPA 1983 ; in the case of a ward election in the City of London, section 6 of the Act of Common Council of 14th July 1960 . Part 2 Commencement, savings and transitional provisions and appointed and specified days relating to the Elections Act 2022 Provisions coming into force on 31st October 2023 2 The following provisions of EA 2022 come into force on 31st October 2023— a section 3 (restriction of period for which person can apply for postal vote); b section 6 (limit on number of electors for whom a proxy can vote), so far as it relates to the provisions brought into force by paragraph (f); c section 12 (local elections and Assembly elections in Northern Ireland), so far as it relates to the provisions brought into force by paragraph (g); d section 15 (voting and candidacy rights of EU citizens), so far as it relates to the provision brought into force by paragraph (h); e Schedule 3 (restriction of period for which person can apply for postal vote); f in Schedule 4 (proxy voting: limits and transitional provision)— i paragraph 1, so far as it relates to the provisions brought into force by sub-paragraphs (ii) and (iii); ii in paragraph 2, sub-paragraph (1), so far as it relates to sub-paragraph (2), and sub-paragraph (2); iii paragraph 3; iv in paragraph 6, sub-paragraph (1), so far as it relates to sub-paragraphs (2), (3) and (5), and those sub-paragraphs; v paragraphs 8 to 11; g in Schedule 6 (local elections in Northern Ireland and elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly)— i paragraph 1, so far as it relates to the provisions brought into force by sub-paragraphs (ii) and (iii); ii paragraph 23, so far as it relates to the provision brought into force by sub-paragraph (iii); iii in paragraph 26, sub-paragraph (1), so far as it relates to sub-paragraph (2), and sub-paragraph (2); iv in paragraph 28, sub-paragraph (1), so far as it relates to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3), and those sub-paragraphs; v paragraph 29; vi paragraphs 32 and 33; vii paragraph 35, so far as it relates to the provisions brought into force by sub-paragraph (viii); viii paragraphs 36 and 45; ix paragraphs 47 and 48; h in Schedule 8 (voting and candidacy rights of EU citizens), paragraph 13. Provisions coming into force on 1st November 2023 3 The following provisions of EA 2022 come into force on 1st November 2023— a section 8 (undue influence); b sections 10 (candidate nomination paper: commonly used names) and 11 (home address form: statement of local authority area); c section 12 (local elections and assembly elections in Northern Ireland), so far as it relates to the provisions brought into force by paragraph (h); d section 15 (voting and candidacy rights of EU citizens), so far as it relates to the provisions brought into force by paragraph (i); e Part 5 (disqualification of offenders for holding elective office etc); f Part 6 (information to be included with electronic material), so far as not already in force; g Schedule 5 (undue influence: further provision); h the following paragraphs of Schedule 6 (local elections in Northern Ireland and elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly)— i paragraph 6 so far as it relates to the provision brought into force by sub-paragraph (ii); ii paragraphs 7, 8 and 21; iii paragraph 23 so far as it relates to the provision brought into force by sub-paragraph (iv); iv paragraph 24; v paragraph 35 so far as it relates to the provision brought into force by sub-paragraph (vi); vi paragraph 38; i for the purposes of proceedings preliminary or relating to an election for which the date of poll specified in the notice of election published in accordance with the relevant rule is on or after 7th May 2024, the following provisions of Schedule 8 (voting and candidacy rights of EU citizens)— i in paragraph 1, sub-paragraphs (9) to (12); ii in paragraph 2, sub-paragraphs (1) and (2) so far as they relate to sub-paragraph (3), and sub-paragraph (3); iii paragraphs 3, 4 and 5; iv in paragraph 6, sub-paragraph (1) so far as it relates to sub-paragraphs (2) and (4) to (6), and those sub-paragraphs; v paragraphs 7, 8 and 10; j Schedule 9 (offences for purposes of Part 5); k Schedule 10 (disqualification orders: minor and consequential amendments); l Schedule 11 (illegal practices); m Schedule 12 (supply of information etc). Provisions coming into force on 31st January 2024 4 The following provisions of EA 2022 come into force on 31st January 2024— a section 1 and Schedule 1 (voter identification), so far as not already in force; b section 6 (limit on number of electors for whom a proxy can vote), so far as it relates to the provisions brought into force by paragraph (d); c section 12 (local elections and Assembly elections in Northern Ireland), so far as it relates to the provisions brought into force by paragraph (e); d in Schedule 4 (proxy voting: limits and transitional provision)— i paragraph 1, so far as it relates to the provisions brought into force by sub-paragraphs (ii) and (iii); ii paragraph 2, so far as not already in force; iii paragraph 4, except for sub-paragraph (5) so far as it extends to Northern Ireland; iv paragraph 6, so far as not already in force; v paragraph 7; e in Schedule 6 (local elections in Northern Ireland and elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly)— i paragraph 1, so far as it relates to the provisions brought into force by sub-paragraphs (ii) to (vii); ii paragraph 6, so far not already in force; iii paragraph 9; iv paragraphs 12 to 14, so far as not already in force; v paragraphs 19 and 20; vi paragraph 23, so far as it relates to the provision brought into force by sub-paragraph (vii); vii paragraph 26, so far as not already in force; viii paragraph 28, so far as not already in force; ix paragraphs 31 and 34(c); x paragraph 35, so far as it relates to the provisions brought into force by sub-paragraphs (xi) to (xiv); xi paragraph 39; xii paragraph 40, so far as it relates to the provision brought into force by sub-paragraph (xiii); xiii paragraph 42; xiv paragraph 44. Provisions coming into force on 7th May 2024 5 The following provisions of EA 2022 come into force on 7th May 2024— a section 15 (voting and candidacy rights of EU citizens), so far as not already in force; b Schedule 8 (voting and candidacy rights of EU citizens), so far as not already in force. Appointed and specified days 6 1 The day appointed under section 54(9)(c) of EA 2022 for the guidance to come into force is 1st November 2023. 2 In paragraph (1), “ the guidance ” means the guidance entitled “Statutory guidance on digital imprints”, a draft of which was laid before each House of Parliament on 13th July 2023. 3 The specified day for the purposes of paragraph 4 of Schedule 3 to EA 2022 (transitional provision related to indefinite or long term pre-commencement postal vote entitlements) is 31st October 2023. 4 In Schedule 4 to EA 2022— a the specified day for the purposes of paragraphs 8 and 9 (termination of certain proxy appointments) is 31st January 2024; b the specified day for the purposes of paragraphs 10 and 11 (termination of applications for certain proxy appointments) is 31st October 2023. 5 In Schedule 6 to EA 2022— a the specified day for the purposes of paragraphs 32 and 47 (termination of certain proxy appointments) is 31st January 2024; b the specified day for the purposes of paragraphs 33 and 48 (termination of applications for certain proxy appointments) is 31st October 2023. Transitional and savings provisions 7 The Schedule has effect. Part 3 Commencement of provisions of the Ballot Secrecy Act 2023 Provisions coming into force on 2nd May 2024 8 Sections 1 and 2 of the Ballot Secrecy Act 2023 come into force on 2nd May 2024. Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Levelling up, Housing and Communities Jacob Young Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities 25th October 2023