Vacancies
Section 10: Constituency Vacancies
65.Section 10 provides for the filling of a constituency seat which becomes vacant (for example, because of the resignation or death of the Assembly constituency member). A by-election must be held, on a date fixed by the Assembly’s Presiding Officer, which must be within 3 months of the vacancy arising, unless it appears to the Presiding Officer that the latest day on which the poll could be held would be within 3 months of the date when the next ordinary general election is due to take place (in which case the seat will remain vacant until the general election.)
66.At a by-election, electors cast only one vote, for a named constituency candidate, (as opposed to the two votes at a general election, when electors are electing both a constituency member and regional members).