Electoral Reform Act 2022

Electoral Reform Act 2022
Oireachtas
  • An Act to provide for the establishment of An Coimisiún Toghcháin; to confer on the Commission certain functions in relation to the preparation and maintenance of the Register of Political Parties; to provide that the Commission shall explain, to the public, the subject matter of referendums; to provide that the Commission shall provide information, to the public, on electoral processes and encourage participation, by the public, in the democratic processes of the State; to provide for the review, by the Commission, of constituencies for the election of members to Dáil Éireann and to the European Parliament; to provide for the review, by the Commission, of local authority electoral area boundaries; to confer on the Commission a policy, research and advisory function; to provide that the Commission shall oversee the electoral register; to confer on the Commission the power to set standards for registration authorities and make recommendations to registration authorities or to the Minister in relation to the registration of electors; to modernise the arrangements for the registration of electors; to provide for continuous registration on the basis of individual application; to provide for necessary and appropriate data sharing to assist registration authorities in updating and maintaining the register; to provide for annual reporting by registration authorities to the Commission; to provide for a designated registration authority to manage a shared database for registration authorities to use in the performance of their functions; to provide for anonymous registration in certain limited cases; to provide a specific registration process for persons with no fixed address; to provide for a pending electors list for persons aged 16 and 17; to provide for the extension of postal voter categories to include special voters in certain circumstances; to provide a framework for the regulation of online political advertising during election periods by the Commission; to provide for the labelling of online political advertisements; to provide for transparency notices for online political advertisements; to confer on the Commission the power to monitor compliance, carry out investigations and take enforcement action under this Act in so far as it relates to online political advertising; to provide for a regulatory framework to protect the integrity of elections and referendums against the dissemination or publication of online disinformation, online misinformation and manipulative or inauthentic behaviour online; to facilitate elections during a pandemic or Covid-19; to provide for polling on the islands; to amend the Electoral Act 1997 to enhance transparency in relation to certain donations to political parties and to provide, inter alia, for the preparation by political parties of consolidated annual statements of accounts; to provide for the holding of fundraising lotteries by political parties; and to provide for related matters.
CitationNo. 30 of 2022
Territorial extentIreland
Passed byDáil
Passed15 June 2022
Passed bySeanad
Passed7 July 2022
Signed byPresident Michael D. Higgins
Signed25 July 2022
CommencedCommenced in part:
13 October 2022
1 January 2023
9 February 2023
Legislative history
First chamber: Dáil
Bill titleElectoral Reform Bill 2022
Bill citationNo. 37 of 2022
Introduced byMinister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Darragh O'Brien)
Introduced30 March 2022
Committee responsibleHousing, Local Government and Heritage
First reading30 March 2022
Second reading30 March 2022
Considered by the Housing, Local Government and Heritage Committee31 May 2022
1 June 2022
Report and Final Stage15 June 2022
Second chamber: Seanad
Second reading21 June 2022
Considered in committee30 June 2022
6 July 2022
Report and Final Stage7 July 2022
Final stages
Seanad amendments considered by the Dáil13 July 2022
Voting summary
  • 79 voted for
  • 61 voted against
Finally passed both chambers13 July 2022
Summary
Establishes an electoral commission to oversee all aspects of elections and referendums and introduces other electoral reforms
Status: Not fully in force

The Electoral Reform Act 2022 is a law of Ireland which amended electoral law and provided for the establishment of an electoral commission titled An Coimisiún Toghcháin (The Electoral Commission).


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