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The Welsh Government wants to introduce automatic voter registration in future Welsh elections.
The Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Bill, if passed, would mean residents would no longer need to register to vote ahead of Senedd Elections or council elections.
However, it would have no impact on UK General Elections.
The Bill was introduced by the Welsh Government on Monday October 2, with plans for a pilot programme to be tested.
Local authorities will be invited to take part in trials, which the Welsh Government say will focus on the best way to collect data and use it to support automatic registration.
Under the new proposals, local authorities will be required to register people to the local government register, removing the need for people to register to vote.
It is hoped the changes would make voting simpler, particularly for young people and those who have moved to Wales from another country.
Mick Antoniw MS, who is the Counsel General and Welsh Government minister for the constitution, said: “The reforms in this bill continue the significant progress we have made in strengthening Welsh democracy in recent years, including extending the vote to 16 and 17-year-olds and qualifying foreign nationals.
What is the Counsel General?
The current Counsel General is Pontypridd’s Labour MS Mick Antoniw.The role includes:
- Provision of legal advice to the Government
- Oversight of the work of the Legal Services Department and Office of the Legislative Counsel
- Oversight of prosecutions on behalf of the Welsh Government
- Oversight of representation of the Welsh Government in the courts
- Consideration of whether Bills passed by the Senedd need to be referred to the Supreme Court for determination as to whether they are within the Senedd’s competence (exercised independently of Government)
- Performance of other functions in the public interest including, where the Counsel General considers is appropriate, institute, defend or appear in any legal proceedings relating to functions of the Welsh Government (exercised independently of government)
- Liaison with the Legal Sector
- Chair of the Standing Committee for Cabinet on the Legislative Programme
- Accessibility of Welsh law
- Constitutional Convention and Constitutional Affairs
- Elections policy
- Justice policy and the response to the report of the Justice Commission
- Co-ordination of work on the Common Frameworks
- The UK Internal Market Act
- Tribunals policy
NB. As the Counsel General is not a Welsh Minister appointed under s48 GOWA the Counsel General cannot exercise powers conferred on the Welsh Ministers. Any matter requiring a formal decision of the Welsh Ministers under a statutory power will be exercised by the First Minister or a nominated portfolio minister.
Source: Welsh Government
“Our ambition is for changes to be in place in time for the next major devolved and local elections in 2026 and 2027, bringing us another step closer towards achieving our long-term vision for electoral reform.”
He continued: “Ultimately this is about making it as easy as possible for people to vote and participate in democracy.”
Jess Blair, director of Electoral Reform Society Cymru, said the proposals would “bring democracy in Wales into the 21st century”.
She said the changes would “remove a hurdle” for new voters and “bring Wales into line with leading democracies across the world”.
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