Legislation – Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024

PART 1
ELECTORAL ADMINISTRATION AND REGISTRATION

CHAPTER 1 CO-ORDINATION OF ELECTORAL ADMINISTRATION

1 Electoral Management Board of Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru

2 Minor and consequential amendments

CHAPTER 2 ELECTORAL REGISTRATION WITHOUT APPLICATIONS

3 Duty to register local government electors

4 Provision connected to the duty to register eligible local government electors

CHAPTER 3 WELSH ELECTIONS PILOTING AND REFORM

Welsh election pilots

5 Pilot regulations: powers

6 Pilot regulations: requirements

7 Pilot regulations: procedure

Proposals for pilots

8 Proposals for pilots made by the Welsh Ministers

9 Proposals for pilots made by principal councils

10 Proposals for pilots made jointly by the Electoral Commission and principal councils

11 Proposals for pilots made by electoral registration officers

12 Joint proposals for pilots

13 Electoral Commission recommendations

Evaluation of pilot proposals

14 Evaluation of pilot proposals

15 Welsh election pilot forums

Guidance on pilots

16 Guidance on pilots

Evaluation of pilots

17 Evaluation of pilot regulations

Reform following pilots

18 Electoral reform regulations

19 Electoral reform regulations: procedure

21 Regulations: ancillary provision

22 Interpretation of this Chapter

23 Consequential amendments

CHAPTER 4 ACCESSIBILITY AND DIVERSITY: WELSH ELECTIONS

Reports on assistance for disabled voters

24 Reports by the Electoral Commission

Candidate survey: local government elections

25 Survey of councillors and unsuccessful candidates in local elections

Welsh elections information platform

26 Welsh elections information platform

Diversity in persons seeking elected office

27 Services to promote diversity in persons seeking elected office

28 Financial assistance schemes to promote diversity in persons seeking elected office

29 Excluded persons

30 Guidance for political parties to promote diversity in persons seeking elected office

31 Interpretation of this Chapter

CHAPTER 5 CAMPAIGN FINANCE

Expenditure in respect of local government elections

32 Notional expenditure: candidates in local government elections

Expenditure in respect of Senedd Cymru elections

33 Notional and third party expenditure: Senedd Cymru elections

34 Codes of practice on expenses

35 Authorised persons not required to pay through election agent

36 Restriction on which third parties may incur controlled expenditure

37 Third parties capable of giving notification

38 Code of practice on controls relating to third parties

39 Minor and consequential amendments

PART 2
ELECTED BODIES AND THEIR MEMBERS

CHAPTER 1 ARRANGEMENTS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Electoral arrangements reviews: principal councils

40 Considerations for a review of principal area electoral arrangements

41 Review period for principal area reviews

Reviews of seaward boundaries

42 Review of seaward boundaries

Consultation and consideration of representations

43 Electoral review recommendations and decisions: duty to have regard to representations

44 Names of electoral wards

45 Consultation on reviews

46 Meaning of “mandatory consultees” in Part 3 of the 2013 Act

Timing of reviews and implementation

47 Electoral review recommendations and decisions: period before a local election

48 Deadline for completion of reviews

49 Deadline for completion of implementation

50 Directions to pause reviews

Community reviews and status as towns

51 Community reviews and implementation

52 Notice of resolutions on status of communities as towns

Publication of information: arrangements for local government

53 Publication of orders under Part 3 of the 2013 Act

54 Publication of up-to-date lists of communities and community councils

55 Transitional provision

CHAPTER 2 REMUNERATION OF ELECTED MEMBERS

Abolition of the Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales

56 Abolition of Independent Remuneration Panel for Wales

Functions of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru

57 Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru functions relating to remuneration

58 Transfer of property, rights and liabilities

59 Minor and consequential amendments

CHAPTER 3 DISQUALIFICATION, UNDUE INFLUENCE AND POLITICAL RESTRICTION OF OFFICES

Disqualification

61 Disqualification from being a Member of the Senedd and a community councillor

62 Disqualification for corrupt or illegal practice: local government elections

63 Disqualification for corrupt or illegal practice: Senedd Cymru elections

‍Undue influence

64 Undue influence

Political restriction of offices

65 Political restriction of officers and staff

CHAPTER 4 DEMOCRACY AND BOUNDARY COMMISSION CYMRU

66 Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru: persons who may not be members etc.

67 Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru: governance and audit committee

68 Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru: power to charge

PART 3
GENERAL PROVISION

69 Regulations: restrictions

70 General interpretation

71 Power to make consequential and transitional provision etc.

72 Coming into force

SCHEDULES

SCHEDULE 1 MINOR AND CONSEQUENTIAL AMENDMENTS

Which version?
Latest available (Revised)
Original (As enacted)

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Changes to legislation:

Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024, Introductory Text is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 27 March 2026. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Changes that have been made appear in the content and are referenced with annotations.

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the legislation in the affected provisions. Use the ‘more’ link to open the changes and effects relevant to the provision you are viewing.

Welsh Royal arms

Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024

2024 asc 5

An Act of Senedd Cymru to make provision about electoral administration and registration in Wales; piloting of changes to the electoral system in Wales; the system for reviewing arrangements for local government in Wales; disqualifying community councillors from membership of Senedd Cymru; the corrupt practice of undue influence as it applies to Senedd Cymru elections and local government elections in Wales; and the functions and constitution of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru.

[9 September 2024]

Having been passed by Senedd Cymru and having received the assent of His Majesty, it is enacted as follows: