The Scottish Local Government Elections Amendment Order 2022

Citation, commencement and transitional provision

1.—(1) This Order may be cited as the Scottish Local Government Elections Amendment Order 2022.

(2) This Order comes into force on the day after the day on which it is made.

(3) The amendments made by this Order do not apply in relation to an election for which the date of poll is on or before 4 May 2022.

Amendment of the Representation of the People Act 1983

2.—(1) The Representation of the People Act 1983(1) is amended in accordance with this article.

(2) After section 87A (duty of appropriate officer to forward returns and declarations to Electoral Commission)(2), insert—

“Scottish local government elections: duty of appropriate officer to forward returns and declarations to Electoral Commission

87B.   Where the appropriate officer receives any return or declaration under section 75A, 81 or 82 in respect of a local government election in Scotland, the appropriate officer must, if so requested by the Electoral Commission, deliver to the Commission a copy of—

(a) the return or declaration, and

(b) any accompanying documents.”.

Amendment of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000

3.—(1) Section 145 (duties of the Commission with respect to compliance etc.) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000(3) is amended in accordance with this article.

(2) Subsections (2), (4), (5) and (6) are repealed.

(3) In subsection (3), for “For the purposes of subsection (2)” substitute “In relation to local government elections in Scotland”.

Amendment of the Scottish Local Government Elections Order 2011

4.  In schedule 1 of the Scottish Local Government Elections Order 2011(4) (Scottish local government elections rules), in rule 24(1) (issue of official poll cards and notifications), for “notice of poll” substitute “notice of election”.

GEORGE ADAM

Authorised to sign by the Scottish Ministers

St Andrew’s House,

Edinburgh

1st February 2022