Latest changes – policing elections

Investigating electoral malpractice> Undue influence > Link to s114a RPA 1983 is broken and has been replaced with the following link - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1983/2/section/114A

The amendments made on the 28/06/24 included an addition of a paragraph (second) under the heading 'Candidates and campaigners'. 

Very minimal grammatical changes were recommended but were not made at this time due to urgency of the update. These have now been changed:

• s.30 was changed to section 30
• note: schedule 9 - the 'note:' prefix was removed
• being elected - changed to 'being elected to office', Oxford comma removed.

Under the section titled Candidates and Campaigners section, the following paragraph was added in 'Forces should also note that s30 Elections Act 2022 introduces ‘disqualification orders’. These may apply against any individual who is convicted of an intimidatory criminal offence motivated by hostility towards a candidate, future candidate or campaigner or holder of a relevant elective office (note: schedule 9 of the Elections Act 2022 presents specific relevant offences). A disqualification order is imposed by the courts and prevents the convicted individual from standing for election, being elected to, or holding a relevant elective office for a period of five years. Investigators should, therefore, consider motivation when investigating any offences listed in schedule 9 against candidates and campaigners'. 

Also in the first paragraph under Candidates and Campaigners, the third sentence was replaced with 'Products, including Welsh language versions, are also available from the electoral Commission', and the fourth sentence was deleted.

Under the section heading Impartiality, the NPCC (2019) document link for Pre-election guidance in the last paragraph has been replaced with 2024 version. Also, changed the title of the document to match the document itself (previously summarised) - Guidance for Interaction with Candidates and Conduct during Pre-election Period.

Following reference added: 

• City of London Police (2024) Election crime video forces. 

  The following link was included - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nzw5Vs9keMY

12.4.24 - Legal framework section 

The reference and link to ‘joint guidance for candidates in elections’ changed to ‘Responding to intimidating behaviour in elections and public office: a CPS guide

12.4.24 - new section called 'Postal vote handling and secrecy' added after 'Evidence gathering (false application to vote by post or by proxy)' section

12.4.24 - the opening sentence in the candidates and campaigners - harassment, intimidation and threatening behaviour section has been amended:

Products for candidates and campaigners have been , including those developed in response to The Committee on Standards in Public Life’s report ‘Intimidation in Public Life’, are available from the gov.uk website. including Joint Guidance for Candidates in Elections.

12.4.24 - the following references have been amended:

• two NPCC pre election references (2019 and 2020) replaced with ‘NPCC (2024) Pre-election Guidance’ 
• reference to the 'joint guidance for candidates in elections' replaced with the reference to 'Responding to intimidating behaviour in elections and public office: a CPS guide' 
• reference and link to ‘When it goes too far’ with reference to ‘Security guidance relevant to candidates and campaigners’  

Distinguished between imprints for digital material and imprints for printed material. Incorporated links to Electoral Commission statutory guidance on these. Links also added to Elections Act 2022. Content added to 'Undue influence' section, with links to legislation. Added Note to investigating 'Undue influence' section. Added section on 'Ballot secrecy' with links to Ballot Secrecy Act 2023.

Updated broken link to 'Electoral Commission (2015) Code of conduct for campaigners: postal voting, proxy voting and polling station' with link to Code of conduct for campaigners – reserved code from January 2023.

Removed contact list for the electoral commission.

Removed incorrect links to contact details for the electoral commission.

Text added to section on Complexity of the allegation. Minor text edits also made to section on Imprints. 

Operation Bridger single point of contact (SPOC) section added (after ‘Senior investigating officer’ and before ‘Electoral registration officer).

Add a new sentence under bullet point list for SPoCs.

Delete text box re COVID-19 advice at top of page.

Updated joint guidance - candidates and campaigners.

Link added to direct readers to COVID-19 guidance.

Updated joint guidance - candidates and campaigners.

Error in the link for Key contacts fixed.

Updated key contacts added.

Updated key contacts added.

Replaced out of date NPCC pre election guidance with new guidance.

Updated key contacts and Welsh version of the APP.

Updated key contacts.

Minor amend to candidate and campaigners.

Updated associated reference material in Welsh.

Updated joint guidance - candidates and campaigners.

Updated joint guidance - candidates and campaigners.

Amended pre-election period guidance.

Amended pre-election period guidance.

New pre-election period guidance document added plus removal of reference to March 2015.

Text added to product link to new products in relation to candidates and campaigners.

New pre-election period guidance.

Link added to Joint Guidance for Candidates.

Link added to harassment guidance - When it goes too far.

Link added to updated Welsh translation.

Changes to core principles.

Changes to key roles.

Additional links updated to direct reader to latest Key contacts.

Update to key contacts and link added to guidance around Anonymous Registration.

New terminology - Political Finance and Regulation Directorate.

Amends to maintain currency in electoral process.

Changes to 4.1.7 and 4.1.8 to reflect currency.

Update to MoU.

Various updates.

Various updates.

Various updates.

Addition of a link to NPCC (2015) Pre Election Guidance for Interaction with Police and Crime Commissioner Candidates – Conduct during Pre-Election Period.

Correcting inaccuracies - changes throughout area.

Minor content changes.

Update of a link from 2013 Code of conduct for campaigners: postal voting, proxy voting and polling stations to 2015 version.

Update of a link from 2010 Pre Election Protocol to 2015 Pre Election Guidance.

Addition of links and minor changes.

Addition of link to Welsh translation of the APP.