Electoral Administration Bill

moved Amendment No. 116:"Page 87, line 32, leave out ““may”” and insert ““must””" The noble Lord said: My Lords, this amendment does not involve drafting complexity. Clause 67 states:"““A local electoral officer may take such steps as he thinks appropriate to encourage the participation by electors in the electoral process in the area for which he acts””." My amendment leaves out ““may”” and inserts ““must””. It may seem a small amendment but it is very important in the context of what the Bill seeks to achieve. The Bill has the laudable goal of ensuring that everyone who is entitled to vote does so. Electoral registration officers are given powers to try to ensure that the register is as complete and accurate as possible. The next step is to ensure that those who are on the register exercise their right to vote. Given the purpose of the Bill, there is a compelling case for requiring electoral officers to take steps to encourage participation by electors in the electoral process. When we discussed this in Committee, the Minister contended that discretion was justified, as some local authorities have high rates of registration, and so activity that may be appropriate in one area may not be required in another. However, there is still discretion under my amendment, because an electoral officer will be required to take steps ““as he thinks appropriate”” to encourage participation. So, in an area with high registration and high turnout, an electoral officer can determine that it is not appropriate to mount a major campaign. The difference between subsection (1) as presently drafted and my amendment is that the current wording is essentially passive and is likely to engage those officers who are already alert to the issue and keen to take steps to encourage participation, whereas my amendment will require every electoral officer to give thought to what, if anything, can be done to increase participation. My amendment places the onus on electoral officers to devise a way to encourage participation in the electoral process without imposing a rigid template. It is up to each officer to determine what is appropriate. My amendment ensures that at least they give thought to what is appropriate. Given what this Bill seeks to achieve, it is an important and necessary amendment. I beg to move.