Running electoral registration - Wales

Special category electors

Special category electors

Special arrangements apply to some electors, including those who do not meet the usual residence qualification.   

These are:

  • overseas electors, i.e. British citizens living outside the UK
  • HM forces service voters (and their spouses or civil partners)
  • people under 18 years old and living with a parent or guardian who is a member of HM forces. They must be living in Wales or would be living in Wales if their parent or guardian were not based overseas
  • Crown servants and British Council employees (and their spouses or civil partners)
  • people under 18 years old and living with a parent or guardian who is a Crown servant or British Council employee serving abroad provided they would be living in Wales if their parent or guardian were not based overseas
  • electors who have a declaration of local connection, who include people living in the UK but who have no permanent address or fixed address 
  • people under 16 who are, or have been, looked after by a local authority or are currently being kept in secure accommodation (they must have previously resided at an address in Wales)
  • anonymously registered electors, i.e. those who can register anonymously because their safety would be at risk if they appeared on the register using their name
  • patients in mental health hospitals whose stay at the hospital is sufficient for them to be regarded as resident there
  • remand prisoners whose stay at a penal institution is sufficient for them to be regarded as resident there

As well as providing the same information as ordinary electors in their application to register, they must provide additional specific information, through a declaration, to register as a special category elector.

ITR Reminders

The duty to send a second and third invitation to non-responding new potential electors and the duty to make at least one personal visit does not apply where someone has made an application1 :

  • under Section 7(2) or 7A(2) of the RPA 1983 
  • by making a declaration of local connection, service declaration or overseas elector’s declaration 
  • to register anonymously

Data protection

Data protection legislation requires you to have a policy document in place when processing special categories of personal data, which includes nationality data received as part of an application to register.

We have produced guidance on the requirement to have a policy document when processing special categories of personal data, including what it must contain

Last updated: 13 December 2023