Senedd elections could see online applications for postal votes

The Welsh Government has been urged to “pull out all the stops” to make sure voters are able to apply online for postal and proxy votes for the Senedd elections next year.

Postal and proxy voting, which has been branded an “important enabler to democratic participation”, are options for people who are unable to vote in person.

Voters throughout Great Britain can apply for a postal ballot or proxy vote online for UK Parliament elections, police and crime commissioner elections and national referendums.

But residents of Scotland and Wales have to use a paper form if they would like a postal vote for elections to the, the Senedd, Scottish Parliament, or their local councils.

The Absent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Bill, which passed its second reading in the House of Lords on Friday, is set to change that.

Bill

The Bill will allow the Welsh and Scottish governments to pass regulations to bring in online applications for absent voting using the UK digital services.

The legislation has cross-party support in Parliament, is backed by the UK Government and the Electoral Commission, as well as the Scottish and Welsh governments.

Proposing the private member’s Bill in the Lords, former Welsh secretary Lord Murphy of Torfaen argued that the Bill ensures that the “anomaly” of the current situation is “overcome”.

He noted the “unanimous support” from all parties in the upper chamber and said he hopes it can be implemented before the devolved elections next year.

Lord Murphy said: “It is my sincere and earnest hope that in Scotland and Wales in May next year, people will be able to apply online for postal and proxy votes for those hugely important elections for those two countries.”

He urged the Welsh and Scottish governments to “pull out all the stops” to ensure that people will be able to apply for absent voting online in the elections next year.

“Equal choice”

Communities minister Lord Khan of Burnley welcomed the Bill, which he said creates a legal framework to give voters in Scotland and Wales “an equal choice in how they apply for their absent voting arrangement”.

He told peers: “Postal and proxy voting is an important enabler to democratic participation, one we are proud to champion.”

The minister added: “There are clear benefits to introducing the online absent vote application services to voters in and Wales for devolved elections, for both electors and administrators…

“One such clear benefit is the removal of the need for duplicate applications to be made by electors if they desire an absent vote for both devolved and reserved elections.

“This means that electors will spend less time making applications, and administrators will spend less time processing them.”

Also supporting the Bill, shadow communities minister Baroness Scott of Bybrook said it “takes important steps to improve voting accessibility in Scotland and Wales”.

She said: “This Bill implements significant measures to ensure that those who may have accessibility requirements are best equipped to exercise their democratic rights.

“It is right to make the voting process as simple, seamless as possible for those who may be disabled or have particular challenges.

“Allowing them to register for absent voting digitally takes large steps to ensure that this is the case.”

The Bill, which has already cleared the Commons, will be further considered by peers at a later date.