Home > 1. The principles of Europe's electoral heritage > UNITED KINGDOM - Opinion on the Electoral Law
 
 
 
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Paragraph 42
 
42.  Problems of fraud in postal voting have produced concern in recent years in the United Kingdom and even motivated a number of changes in the legislation. In the local election of 2004, an allegation was raised denouncing postal voting fraud in the Birmingham wards of Bordesley Green and Aston.[17] Following the Decision by Richard Mawrey Q.C. on this case, which found massive electoral fraud through the misuse of the postal vote in Birmingham, there was a general reappraisal of the system. The intention was to “save” postal voting, and incidentally not to impede the introduction of e-voting. At the same time, stricter measures, which render manipulation of the system by political agents difficult, were introduced. Thus, the Electoral Administration Act of 2006 introduces several measures in this direction.[18] First, Section 14 of that Act introduces personal identifiers for postal voting (i.e. signature and date of birth). Second, Section 15 rules offences as to false registration of information. Third, Section 39 introduces changes in the offences of undue influence. Fourth, Section 40 prescribes offences relating to applications for postal and proxy votes.[19]