Electoral Administration Act 2006

32 Photographs on ballot papers: piloting

(1) This section applies if a local authority makes a proposal that an order be made under subsection (2) applying to particular local government elections held in its area.

(2) The Secretary of State may by order (a pilot order) make provision for the purposes of enabling ballot papers issued at such local government elections as are specified in the order to contain photographs of the candidates.

(3) A pilot order may include such provision modifying or disapplying any enactment as the Secretary of State thinks is necessary or expedient for the purposes of the order.

(4) The Secretary of State must not make a pilot order unless he first consults the Electoral Commission.

(5) A pilot order may make provision implementing the local authority’s proposal—

(a) without modification, or

(b) with such modifications as the Secretary of State and the local authority agree between them.

(6) If the Secretary of State makes a pilot order—

(a) he must send a copy of it to the local authority and to the Electoral Commission, and

(b) the local authority must publish the order in their area in such manner as they think fit.

(7) A pilot order may be amended or revoked by a further order.

(8) The Secretary of State may reimburse a returning officer for any expenditure necessarily incurred by him in consequence of the making of a pilot order.

(9) A local authority is—

(a) in England, a county council, a district council, a London borough council or the Greater London Authority;

(b) in Wales, a county council or a county borough council.

(10) In this section—

(a) “local government election” must be construed in accordance with section 203(1) of the 1983 Act;

(b) a reference to the area of a local authority must be construed in accordance with the definition of “local government area” in that subsection.