more than once at the same election of the of London more than once at the same election of the London members of the London Assembly at an ordinary election more than once in the same Assembly constituency at the same election of a constituency member of the London Assembly, or in more than one Assembly constituency at the same ordinary election. 61(4) Multiple voting Voting at a parliamentary election in any constituency (or government election in any electoral area) as proxy for more than two persons of whom they are not the spouse, civil partner, parent, grandparent, brother, sister, child or grandchild Any person Illegal practice An unlimited fine 61(5) Multiple voting Knowingly inducing or procuring some other person to do an act which is, or but for that other person’s want of knowledge would be, an offence by that person under the relevant subsection of section 61 Any person Illegal practice An unlimited fine 62(1) Offences as to declarations Making a declaration of local connection or a service declaration: Any person An unlimited fine
knowingly pay or cause to be paid any money to any person in discharge or repayment of any money wholly or in part expended in bribery at any election On indictment: a fine and/or up to one year’s imprisonment 113(5) Bribery If before or during an election they directly or indirectly by themselves or by any other person on their behalf receive, agree, or contract for any money, gift or loan of valuable consideration, office, place or employment for themselves or for any other person for voting or agreeing to vote or for refraining or agreeing to refrain from voting Any voter Corrupt practice On summary conviction: an unlimited fine and/or up to six months’ imprisonment On indictment: a fine and/or up to one year’s imprisonment 113(6) Bribery If after an election they directly or indirectly by themselves or by any other person on their behalf receive any money or valuable consideration on account of any person having voted or refrained from voting or having induced any other person to vote or refrain from voting Any person Corrupt practice On summary conviction: an unlimited fine and/or up to six months’ imprisonment On indictment: a fine and/or up to one year’s imprisonment 113(7) Bribery A person’s ineligibility to vote does not necessarily prevent an act bribery Any person Corrupt practice On summary conviction: an unlimited fine and/or up to six months’ imprisonment
Public Order Act 1986 The sections listed may assist when dealing with potential public order situations linked to elections. Processions and assemblies Section 11 – Advance notice of public processions Section 12 – Imposing conditions on public processions Section 13 – Prohibiting public processions Section 14 – Imposing conditions on public assemblies Section 14A – Prohibiting trespassory assemblies Racial hatred Section 17 – Meaning of racial hatred Section 18 – Use of or behaviour or display of written material Section 19 – Publishing or distributing written material Racially inflammatory material Section 23 – Possession of racially inflammatory material Section 24 – Powers of entry and search Section 25 – Power to order forfeiture Hatred against persons on religious grounds or grounds of sexual orientation Section 29A – Meaning of religious hatred Section 29AB – Meaning of hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation Section 29B – Use of or behaviour or display of written material Section 29C – Publishing or distributing written material Inflammatory material Section 29G – Possession of inflammatory material Section 29H – Powers of entry and search Section 29I – Power to order forfeiture
outlined above and these should be referred immediately to the SPOC There may be instances where allegations are received that one person in the household has completed postal vote packs for all members of a household. It may be necessary for the NPTs or SPOC to visit areas where multiple postal vote packs are delivered to reinforce the message that they should be completed by each individual and returned direct to the returning officer’s office Where malpractice is suspected, the SPOC will need to commence enquiries, consider evidence gathering needs and consider visiting candidates and party workers in respect of allegations made and their duty to follow the Electoral Commission’s Code of Conduct for candidates and party workers Appointment of polling agents People appointed by the candidate to scrutinise the proceedings on election day Polling agents are appointed to attend specific polling stations and to detect personation. They are entitled to be located within the room within which the voting will take place, although they are not entitled to interfere with the process. Having marked off on their copy of the register those voters who have applied for a ballot paper, they must leave their copy of the register in the polling station. They can only remove their marked copy of the register after the close of poll. Polling agents’ name and address data available soon after deadline Comparison to police records may be made to identify history of any individuals appointed that may impact upon the democratic process The SPOC should inform the ESM of any concerns that may have an impact upon the democratic process (without breaching the law) Care must be that any polling agents are not intimidating voters or instructing voters how to vote.