MINISTERS agreed yesterday to tighten electoral law to provide greater safeguards against fraud and intimidation.

But the Government accepted only about 70 per cent of the Electoral Commission recommendations for new laws and failed to put a timetable on implementation. No legislation will be introduced before the county council elections next May, when all-postal ballots may go ahead in some areas.

The Commission had asked the Government to introduce individual rather than household registration, which prevents one resident voting on behalf of everyone else.

It had also asked for new legislation to make it clear that intimidation in areas other than just polling booths was a criminal offence — which the Government has rejected. In their response to the Electoral Commission ministers accepted some proposals for tighter safeguards in principle.

The Department for Constitutional Affairs said yesterday that it was sympathetic to the principles of individual registration but was concerned about maintaining a simple system. Nicole Smith, the commission’s director of policy and strategy, said the Government was concerned that individual registration would involve more form-filling.

Ms Smith said a system could be adapted to online or telephone registration with safeguards to avoid increased bureaucracy. The DCA said that ministers did not agree either with changing laws regarding intimidation. “The Government does not consider that the existing law on undue influence is deficient,” it responded. “The Government does, however, accept that obtaining sufficient evidence to gain convictions is a problem,” it concedes. Ministers have accepted the commission’s proposal that fraudulent application for a postal vote should be an offence with a maximum penalty of a custodial sentence. They also agree that new laws should be introduced so existing provisions relating to personation are extended to give police the power of arrest based on reasonable suspicion of personation anywhere, not just at the polling station.

The DCA agrees that a marked register of postal votes cast should be compiled to assist detection and prevention of fraud. It also agrees that barcodes should replace serial numbers on ballot papers and watermarks should replace stamping instruments. This would ensure that the ballot paper has an official mark while reducing the scope for human error to invalidate the vote cast.

Ministers backed a nationwide electronic register compiled locally to enable people to vote at any polling station and said that the last date for registering to vote should be moved nearer to the election.

Sam Younger, the Electoral Commission chairman, said he was pleased that the Government had accepted many recommendations.

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