The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc.) Order 1999

1. Introductory Text

2. PART I GENERAL

   1. 1. Citation and commencement.

   2. 2. Interpretation.

3. PART II THE FRANCHISE AND ITS EXERCISE

   1. 3. Registers of electors etc.

   2. 4. Registration appeals.

   3. 5. Polling districts and places at elections.

   4. 6. Rules for Scottish parliamentary elections.

   5. 7. Manner of voting at Scottish parliamentary elections.

   6. 8. Absent vote at Scottish parliamentary elections for an indefinite period.

   7. 9. Absent vote at a particular Scottish parliamentary election and absent voters list.

   8. 10. Proxies at Scottish parliamentary elections.

   9. 11. Voting as proxy.

   10. 12. Absent voting at elections: miscellaneous.

   11. 13. Combination of polls.

   12. 14. Constituency returning officers.

   13. 15. Officers of councils to be placed at disposal of returning officers.

   14. 16. Returning officers: discharge of functions.

   15. 17. Returning officers: general.

   16. 18. Payments by and to returning officers.

   17. 19. Taxation of returning officer’s accounts.

   18. 20. Loan of equipment for Scottish parliamentary elections.

   19. 21. Effect of registers.

   20. 22. Effect of misdescription.

   21. 23. Discharge of registration duties.

   22. 24. Payment of expenses of registration.

   23. 25. Personation.

   24. 26. Other voting offences.

   25. 27. Breach of official duty.

   26. 28. Tampering with nomination papers, ballot papers etc.

   27. 29. Requirement of secrecy.

4. PART III THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN

   1. 30. Appointment of election agent.

   2. 31. Nomination of sub-agent.

   3. 32. Office of election agent.

   4. 33. Effect of default in election agent’s appointment.

   5. 34. Making of contracts.

   6. 35. Expenses of registered political parties.

   7. 36. Payment of expenses through election agent: constituency and individual candidates.

   8. 37. Payment of expenses: registered political parties etc.

   9. 38. Candidate’s personal expenses, and petty expenses.

   10. 39. Prohibition of expenses not authorised by election agent: candidates for return as constituency members and individual candidates for return as regional members.

   11. 40. Prohibition of expenses not authorised by election agent etc.: registered parties.

   12. 41. Limitation of election expenses: candidates.

   13. 42. Limitation of election expenses: registered political parties.

   14. 43. Time for sending in and paying claims.

   15. 44. Disputed claims.

   16. 45. Election agent’s claim.

   17. 46. Return as to election expenses: candidates for return as constituency members and individual candidates for return as regional members.

   18. 47. Return as to election expenses: registered party.

   19. 48. Declarations as to election expenses: candidates for return as constituency members and individual candidates for return as regional members.

   20. 49. Declarations as to election expenses: registered political parties.

   21. 50. Where no return and declaration is needed.

   22. 51. Penalty for failure as respects return of declarations.

   23. 52. Penalty for sitting or voting where no return and declaration is transmitted.

   24. 53. Authorised excuses for failure as to return and declarations.

   25. 54. Court’s power to require information from election agent or sub-agent.

   26. 55. Publication of time and place of inspection of returns and declarations.

   27. 56. Inspection of returns and declarations: candidates.

   28. 57. Inspection of returns and declarations: registered political parties.

   29. 58. Right to send election address post free.

   30. 59. Broadcasting from outside United Kingdom.

   31. 60. Imitation poll cards.

   32. 61. Schools and rooms for Scottish parliamentary election meetings: candidates for return as constituency members.

   33. 62. Schools and rooms for Scottish parliamentary election meetings: candidates for return as regional members.

   34. 63. Disturbances at Scottish parliamentary election meetings.

   35. 64. Officials not to act for candidates.

   36. 65. Illegal canvassing by police officers.

   37. 66. No hiring of vehicles to convey voters.

   38. 67. No payments for conveyance of voters.

   39. 68. Provisions supplemental to articles 66 and 67.

   40. 69. “Carriage” in articles 66 to 67.

   41. 70. Access to polling place by sea.

   42. 71. False statements as to candidates.

   43. 72. Corrupt withdrawal from candidature.

   44. 73. Premises not to be used as committee rooms.

   45. 74. Payments for exhibition of election notices.

   46. 75. Printer’s name and address on election publications.

   47. 76. Prohibition of paid canvassers.

   48. 77. Providing money for illegal purposes.

   49. 78. Bribery.

   50. 79. Treating.

   51. 80. Undue influence.

   52. 81. Rights of creditors.

   53. 82. Savings as to Scottish parliamentary elections.

   54. 83. Interpretation of Part III.

   55. 84. Computation of time for purposes of Part III.

5. PART IV LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

   1. 85. Application of certain provisions for Scottish parliamentary elections.

6. PART V MISCELLANEOUS AND SUPPLEMENTAL

   1. 86. Vacancies: constituency seats.

   2. 87. Vacancies: regional member seats

   3. 88. Modification of section 10 of the 1998 Act.

   4. 89. Dissolution of Parliament: minimum period.

   5. 90. Advertisements.

   6. 91. Forms: variations.

   7. 92. Sending of applications, notices etc.

   8. 93. Publication of documents.

   9. 94. Interference with notices etc.

   10. 95. Premises used for election purposes.

   11. 96. Effect of demise of the Crown.

   12. 97. Supplementary, incidental and consequential provisions.

7. Signature

8. SCHEDULES

   1. Schedule 1

      Electors lists and registers: miscellaneous and related provision.

   2. Schedule 2

      Scottish Parliamentary Election Rules.

   3. Schedule 3

      Absent voting.

   4. Schedule 4

      Issue and receipt of postal ballot papers.

   5. Schedule 5

      Combination of Polls.

   6. Schedule 6

      Legal Proceedings.

   7. Schedule 7

      Use for election meetings of rooms in school premises and of meeting rooms.

   8. Schedule 8

      Modification of enactments.

   9. Appendix of forms

9. Explanatory Note