Elections Act 2022

Changes to absent voting include:

• Political parties and campaigners will be banned from handling postal votes
• There will be a limit to the number of postal votes a person can hand in at a polling station
• Postal voters will need to make a fresh application every three years, instead of the five-yearly signature refresh
• Electors will only be allowed to act as proxy for up to four people, of which no more than two can be "domestic electors" - i.e. not overseas voters
• Postal or proxy voting applications will include a requirement for the applicant's identity to be verified

The changes are expected to be in place for the May 2024 Police and Crime Commissioner elections.

Changes to EU citizens' voting and candidacy rights include:

• EU citizens will no longer automatically be entitled to register, vote, and stand for election
• Two groups of EU citizens will retain their rights:
   
  • 'Qualifying EU citizens' from countries with reciprocal agreements, and who have leave, or do not require it, to remain in the UK - currently Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, and Spain
  • 'EU citizens with retained rights' who were residents in the UK before 1 January 2021 - i.e. before the UK left the EU

The changes to EU citizens' voting and candidacy rights will apply to all local elections and referendums in England.

The changes are expected to be in place for the May 2024 Police and Crime Commissioner elections.

Changes to overseas electors' rights include:

• The 15-year limit on British citizens living abroad will be removed
• Overseas electors will be able to register at an address where they were previously registered OR even never registered, where they were last resident
• The registration period will be extended from one year to three

The changes are expected to be in place by May 2024.