Scottish Elections (Reform) Act 2020

5 Electors: prohibition on voting more than once

(1) The Representation of the People Act 1983 is amended as follows.

(2) In section 2(2) (prohibitions on voting more than once)—

(a) the word “or” following paragraph (a) is repealed,

(b) at the end of paragraph (b) insert “, or

(c) in more than one electoral area at an election of councillors for any local government area in Scotland when the polls for more than one local government election are held on the same day.”.

(3) In section 61 (voting offences)—

(a) after subsection (2)(a) insert—

“(ab) the person votes as elector otherwise than by proxy in more than one electoral area at an election of councillors for any local government area in Scotland when the polls for more than one local government election are held on the same day, or

(ac) the person votes as elector otherwise than by proxy in any electoral area at an election of councillors for a local government area in Scotland when—

(i) there is in force an appointment of a person to vote as the person’s proxy at the election in some other electoral area in Scotland, and

(ii) the polls for more than one local government election are held on the same day, or”,

(b) after subsection (3)(a) insert—

“(ab) the person votes as proxy for the same elector in more than one electoral area at an election of councillors for any local government area in Scotland when the polls for more than one local government election are held on the same day, or”.