The draft Local Authorities (Mayoral Elections) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (“the 2014 Regulations”) amend the Local Authorities (Mayoral Elections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007, SI 2007/1024 (“the 2007 Regulations”). The 2014 Regulations make changes to the rules governing the conduct of local Mayoral Elections in England and Wales. In doing so they apply or copy electoral conduct provisions in the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 (“the ERA Act”) and associated secondary legislation for the purposes of those elections. Many of the provisions in the 2014 Regulations replicate, for Mayoral Elections, amendments that have been made to the conduct of UK Parliamentary elections by the ERA Act or that will be made by the draft Representation of the People (England and Wales) (Description of Electoral Registers and Amendment) Regulations 2013 (the “draft 2013 Regulations”).
The 2014 Regulations are part of a wider package of Regulations and Statutory Instruments which make various changes to the rules for conducting elections and referendums and include the draft 2013 Regulations, the European Parliamentary Elections (Amendment) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/2876) and the draft Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) (Amendment) Regulations 2014.
The 2014 Regulations revoke the Local Authorities (Mayoral Elections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2059) and the amendments made to the 2007 Regulations by those Regulations.
The changes are being made now, in conjunction with changes to other electoral legislation, so they can have effect at polls that take place on 22 May 2014 and thereafter.
The 2014 Regulations make the following changes to the 2007 Regulations:
- • Changing the timetable for proceedings at the Election so that deadlines are consistent with other elections, facilitating the early despatch of postal votes when elections are combined. In particular, the deadlines for candidates’ nominations and withdrawals become 4pm on the nineteenth day before polling day, and the deadline for the publication of the statement of persons nominated becomes 4pm on the eighteenth day before polling day.
- • Enabling Police Community Support Officers to enter polling stations and counting venues under the same conditions as police constables in England and Wales.
- • Providing that voters waiting in a queue at the close of poll (i.e. at 10pm on polling day) for the purpose of voting may be issued with a ballot paper, and that those in the queue for the purpose of returning a postal ballot paper or voting statement may return it.
- • Updating voting forms for accessibility reasons. The 2014 Regulations also make amendments to the provisions on consent to nomination and the interpretation provisions.
- • In addition, changes made by the draft 2013 Regulations relating to postal and proxy voting will apply to Mayoral Elections.