Running electoral registration - England
Is the identity attestation for an overseas applicant valid and complete?
Is the identity attestation for an overseas applicant valid?
When you receive an identity attestation, you must assess whether it is valid.
You should do this by checking whether it is complete and that the attestor meets the relevant requirements to be a qualified attestor.
Is an identity attestation complete?
Question – does the identity attestation meet the following requirements:1 | Notes | Answer |
---|---|---|
Confirm that the applicant is the person named in the application | This would be confirmed by written statement and attestor signing the attestation | Yes/No |
Be in writing and signed by a qualifying attestor | This should be written on the attestation | Yes/No |
State the qualifying attestor’s full name | This should be written or printed on the attestation | Yes/No |
State the qualifying attestor’s date of birth | This should be written or printed on the attestation | Yes/No |
State the qualifying attestor’s occupation | This should be written or printed on the attestation | Yes/No |
State the qualifying attestor’s residential address and, if different, the address in respect of which the qualifying attestor is registered as an elector | This should be written or printed on the attestation | Yes/No |
If the attestor is an overseas elector, state the qualifying attestor's British or Irish passport number together with its date and place of issue | This should be written or printed on the attestation | Yes/No |
If the attestor is a domestic elector, state the qualifying attestor’s electoral number [or if the qualifying attestor is registered in Northern Ireland, the applicant’s Digital Registration Number (DRN)] | This should be written or printed on the attestation | Yes/No |
Include an explanation as to the qualifying attestor’s ability to confirm that the applicant is the person named in the application, including (but not limited to) the qualifying attestor’s connection to the applicant and the length of time that that connection has existed | This should be written or printed on the attestation | Yes/No |
Include confirmation that the qualifying attestor is aware of the offence of providing false information to a registration officer | This would be confirmed by written statement and attestor signing the attestation | Yes/No |
Include a declaration by the qualifying attestor that all of the information provided in the attestation is true | This should be written or printed on the attestation | Yes/No |
State the date on which it is made | This should be written or printed on the attestation | Yes/No |
If the answer to all these questions is yes then the applicant has provided a complete attestation. If one or more of the questions are answered with a no, the attestation is not complete and the applicant must be directed to ask the attestor to supply the missing information.
If an attestor cannot supply the missing information, the applicant should be told that they must seek an attestation from another source, or their application will be rejected. You could set a deadline date for this. This will help you if you decide to reject an application because no response has been received. The period of time given to applicants to respond is at your discretion. However, you should allow a reasonable amount of time for the applicant to source and return their attestation.
- 1. Regulation 26B (6ZA) Representation of the People Regulations 2001 (E&W) (as amended) ↩ Back to content at footnote 1