View source for Voting rights for detained patients

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In general, detained and informal psychiatric in-patients are entitled to vote. However, under s3A [[Representation of the People Act 1983]], certain offenders detained in mental hospitals are disenfranchised: these are those detained, or unlawfully at large, under [[s37]], [[s38]], [[s44]], [[s51]](5), [[s45A]], [[s46]] (now repealed) or [[s47]] MHA; s5(2)(a) [[CPIA 1964]]; and s6(2)(a) or 14(2)(a) Criminal Appeal Act 1968. Those remanded in custody under [[s35]], [[s36]] or [[s48]] are not disenfranchised. Further detail can be found in the section itself, including the provisions relevant to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

==See also==
*[[MHA 1983 s141]] - Members of Parliament suffering from mental illness
*[[Jury service]]

==Prisoner voting==
The European Court of Human Rights in [[Hirst v UK (No 2) 74025/01 (2005) ECHR 681]] declared unlawful the blanket restriction on voting which applies to all convicted prisoners irrespective of the length of their sentence, the nature or gravity of their offence, or their individual circumstances. In ''Frodl v Austria'' 20201/04 [2010] ECHR 508<ref>[http://www.bailii.org/eu/cases/ECHR/2010/508.html Frodl v Austria transcript on Bailii]</ref> the ECtHR held that ‘Under the Hirst test, besides ruling out automatic and blanket restrictions it is an essential element that the decision on disenfranchisement should be taken by a judge, taking into account the particular circumstances, and that there must be a link between the offence committed and issues relating to elections and democratic institutions’. 

Subsequent developments:
*On 18/10/10 the ECtHR issued a press release confirming that this case would not be referred to the Grand Chamber.<ref>[http://cmiskp.echr.coe.int/tkp197/view.asp?action=open&documentId=875772&portal=hbkm&source=externalbydocnumber&table=F69A27FD8FB86142BF01C1166DEA398649 ECtHR press release, 'Cases referred to the Grand Chamber', 18/10/10]</ref> In ''Greens and MT v UK (2010) 60041/08, 60054/08 (23/11/10)''<ref>[http://cmiskp.echr.coe.int/tkp197/view.asp?action=html&documentId=877343&portal=hbkm&source=externalbydocnumber&table=F69A27FD8FB86142BF01C1166DEA398649 Greens and MT v UK transcript on HUDOC website]; [http://cmiskp.echr.coe.int/tkp197/view.asp?action=open&documentId=877369&portal=hbkm&source=externalbydocnumber&table=F69A27FD8FB86142BF01C1166DEA398649 ECtHR press release, 'Time Limit Imposed on United Kingdom Government to Introduce Legislation Giving Convicted Prisoners the Vote' 23/11/10]; [http://ukhumanrightsblog.com/2010/11/23/europe-sets-deadline-for-uk-to-let-prisoners-vote-or-else/ Adam Wagner, 'Europe sets deadline for UK to let prisoners vote, or else', UK Human Rights Blog 23/11/10]</ref> the ECtHR gave the UK six months to amend the voting laws, during which time comparable cases will not be considered; no compensation was awarded. The ECHR cases were referred to in ''R (Chester) v SSJ'' on 3/11/10,<ref>[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/8108139/Victims-mother-criticises-votes-for-murderers-move.html Daily Telegraph, 'Victim's mother criticises votes for murderers move', 4/11/10]</ref> but the Court of Appeal said resolution of the problem was for politicians not the courts.<ref>[http://www.lawreports.co.uk/WLRD/2010/CACiv/R(Chester)_v_SSJ.html ICLR case report: R (Chester) v SSJ (2010) EWCA Civ 1439; (2010) WLR (D) 337]; [http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2010/1439.html Bailii transcript]</ref> At one stage it appeared that the plan was to allow those sentenced to a year or less to vote<ref>[http://ukhumanrightsblog.com/2011/01/20/prisoner-voting-and-the-160m-question/#more-6461 Adam Wagner, 'Prisoner voting and the £160m question' (UK Human Rights Blog, 20/1/11)]</ref> but it is unclear what the effect will be on disenfranchised MHA patients.
*There have been more recent developments which have not yet been added to this page.

==External links==
===Venice Commission===
[http://mdac.info/19/12/2011/venice_commission_backs_right_to_vote Mental Disability Advocacy Center, 'Venice Commission backs right to vote' (19/12/11)]. In December 2011 the [[Venice Commission]] amended a key document to reverse an anomaly which allowed countries to disenfranchise those with 'genuine mental disabilities'.

===Capacity===
[http://www.bmj.com/content/341/bmj.c4085.full Redley M ''et al'', 'Voting and mental capacity (Editorial)' BMJ 2010; 341:c4085]

{{link|https://thesmallplaces.wordpress.com/2017/04/20/its-that-time-again/|Lucy Series, 'It's that time again…' (20/4/17)|s}}. This article notes that in order to vote there is no need to have the mental capacity to vote (s73(1) [[Electoral Administration Act 2006]] states that "[a]ny rule of the common law which provides that a person is subject to a legal incapacity to vote by reason of his mental state is abolished"), but the Electoral Commission is of the view that the declaration of truth on the individual voter registration form must be signed with someone with mental capacity to do so or by a deputy/attorney.

===Other===
[[Media:CQC_19_Voting_rights_of_detained_patients.pdf|CQC, 'Voting rights for detained patients' (reviewed October 2008)]]. This guidance document is still available here, but is no longer on the CQC website.

[http://news.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/hi/house_of_commons/newsid_9150000/9150557.stm BBC Democracy Live: Government 'must allow some prisoners to vote', 2/11/10]. House of Commons video

[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/8103580/Prisoners-to-get-the-vote-for-the-first-time.html Telegraph, 'Prisoners to get the vote for the first time', 1/11/10]. The article which led to the Commons debate

References:
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