Running electoral registration - Wales

To remain registered, an overseas elector must complete a renewal declaration before their existing registration expires.

You must remind overseas electors of the need to make a renewal declaration1 by sending a notice during the relevant period. The relevant period begins with the 1 July immediately before the third 1 November on which their registration will end, and ends with that 1 November.2 The reminder should explain the requirements of a renewal declaration and include a paper renewal declaration for the overseas elector to complete.

You are required to send a second reminder if they have not responded to the first after a reasonable period of time.3 While a reasonable period of time is not defined in legislation, in our view this should be no longer than 28 days and may in some circumstances be shorter (for example, if an election is due to take place). The full renewal period is 6 months long and will overlap with annual canvass processes, so you should plan when you intend to send your renewal reminders alongside your canvass activity. More information can be found in our guidance on planning for the annual canvass.

You have discretion around how you issue renewal reminders. You could use post, email or other e-communications. 

You are not required to send a reminder where you have already received a renewal declaration4 or you have received information that the person is no longer entitled to make a renewal declaration.5  You are not required to inform an overseas elector that they have been removed from the register if they fail to renew their declaration. 

Sending reminders to anonymous electors who are based overseas 

The registration of an anonymous elector who is based overseas will end on the date which their entitlement to remain registered as an anonymous elector ends.6

If an anonymous elector who is based overseas wishes to remain registered this way, they must complete a fresh application for an anonymous entry on the register7 i.e., their entire registration will come to an end if they have not successfully re-applied to be registered. 

You must send a reminder to anonymous electors based overseas during the reminder period which begins 3 months before and ends 2 months before the date their entitlement to remain registered as an anonymous elector ends.

For example, if entitlement to be registered as an anonymous elector ends on 31 August, the reminder period begins on 31 May and ends on 30 June.

The reminder must explain that:

• if they wish to remain registered as an anonymous elector based overseas, they must make a fresh application to register8
• if they wish to remain registered as an overseas elector without an anonymous entry, they must make a fresh registration application and a fresh overseas elector declaration9

You are not required to send a reminder where you have already received a fresh application for an anonymous entry on the register.10

A reminder may be sent to the elector’s address by post, email or other e-communications.11