Government of Wales Act 1998

3 Time of ordinary elections

(1) The poll at the first ordinary election shall be held on a day appointed by order made by the Secretary of State.

(2) The poll at each subsequent ordinary election shall be held on the first Thursday in May in the fourth calendar year following that in which the previous ordinary election was held.

(3) But the Secretary of State may by order require the poll at such an ordinary election to be held on a day which is neither—

(a) more than one month earlier, nor

(b) more than one month later,

than the first Thursday in May.

(4) Where the poll at an ordinary election would be held on the same day as polls at ordinary elections of community councillors, the Secretary of State may by order provide for the polls at ordinary elections of community councillors to be postponed, for not more than three months, to a day specified in the order.

(5) An order under subsection (4) may make provision for—

(a) any provision of, or made under, the Representation of the People Acts, or

(b) any other enactment relating to elections of community councillors,

to have effect with such modifications or exceptions as the Secretary of State considers appropriate in connection with the postponement of polls for which it provides.

(6) No order shall be made under subsection (3), and no order in connection with an ordinary election subsequent to the first shall be made under subsection (4), unless the Secretary of State has consulted the Assembly.