Consultation

Terms of reference

The Equality, Local Government and Communities Committee terms of reference for its inquiry are to consider:

• Arguments for and against giving some or all prisoners the right to vote in Welsh elections, and whether distinctions might be drawn between different categories of prisoner on the basis of sentence length, expected date of release, or types of offence;
•  Practical issues, such as electoral registration (including address), voting method, prisoner engagement with the political process, the provision of political and citizenship information and education;
• Cross-border issues arising from prisoners from Wales being imprisoned in England and vice versa;
• Whether special considerations apply to young offenders in custody if the franchise is extended to 16 and 17 year olds generally, and
• Other countries’ approaches to prisoner voting.

Providing Written Evidence

The National Assembly for Wales has two official languages, Welsh and English.

In line with the Assembly’s Official Languages Scheme, the Committee requests that documents or written responses to consultations intended for publication or use in National Assembly proceedings are submitted bilingually. When documents or written responses are not submitted bilingually, we will publish in the language submitted, stating that it has been received in that language only.

We expect other organisations to implement their own standards or schemes and to comply with their statutory obligation.

Please see guidance for those providing evidence for committees.

Online discussion board

Alternatively if you would prefer to respond on our online discussion board, which asks more specific questions about voting rights for prisoners, please use the link below:

https://senedd.dialogue-app.com/do-you-think-prisoners-should-be-allowed-to-vote-in-welsh-elections

Disclosure of information

Please ensure that you have considered the Assembly’s policy on disclosure of information before submitting information to the Committee.