Referendum agents
17Referendum agents
1
A permitted participant may, for any local government area, appoint an individual (who may be the responsible person) to be the permitted participant's agent (“referendum agent”).
2
If a permitted participant appoints a referendum agent for a local government area, the responsible person must give the counting officer for that area notification of the name and address of—
a
the permitted participant, and
b
the referendum agent.
3
The notification must be—
a
in writing,
b
signed by the responsible person, and
c
given before noon on the twenty-fifth day before the date of the referendum.
4
For the purpose of subsection (3)(c), the following days are to be disregarded—
a
a Saturday or Sunday,
b
Christmas Eve or Christmas Day,
c
a day which is a bank holiday in Scotland under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971,
d
a day appointed for public thanksgiving or mourning.
5
The duties imposed on a responsible person by this section may be discharged by any person authorised in writing by the responsible person.
6
A counting officer who receives a notification under subsection (2) must, as soon as practicable, publish notice of—
a
the name of the permitted participant, and
b
the name and address of the referendum agent.
7
If—
a
a permitted participant revokes the appointment of a referendum agent or a referendum agent dies, and
b
the permitted participant has notified the counting officer of the appointment of a polling or counting agent under rule 14 of the conduct rules,
the permitted participant must, as soon as practicable, appoint another referendum agent under subsection (1).
8
The notification under subsection (2) must be made as soon as practicable after the appointment of the new referendum agent (and subsection (3)(c) does not apply to that notification).