Electoral Commission

Section 1 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (PPERA) provides that there shall be a body corporate to be known as the Electoral Commission (Comisiwn Etholiadol in Welsh), consisting of members known as Electoral Commissioners — currently nine or ten in number — appointed by the Crown, one of whom is appointed chairman. The Commission's functions under PPERA and later amending legislation include regulating political party and campaigner finance, maintaining the register of political parties, setting performance standards for electoral registration and administration, and reporting on the conduct of elections and referendums.

The Electoral Commission describes itself as the independent body which oversees elections and regulates political finance in the UK, working to promote public confidence in the democratic process and ensure its integrity. In practice this covers political party registration, financial reporting and enforcement action against breaches of political finance law, published guidance for electoral administrators, candidates, agents, political parties and campaigners, and research and data on UK elections and referendums.