Part 1

Police reform
CHAPTER 6

Police and crime commissioners: elections and vacancies

Holding of elections

Ordinary elections
50
1
An election of police and crime commissioners for all police areas (an “ordinary election”) is to be held—
a
in 2012;
b
in each subsequent fourth year.
2
The poll at the ordinary election of police and crime commissioners in 2012 is to be held on 15 November 2012.
3
The poll at an ordinary election of police and crime commissioners in any year after 2012 is to be held on the ordinary day of election in the year of the election.
4
But, if the Secretary of State so specifies in an order, the poll at an ordinary election of police and crime commissioners in any year after 2012 is to be held on such day in the year of the election as may be specified in the order.
5
An order under subsection (4)—
a
may not specify, as the day of a poll, a day which is before the ordinary day of election in the year of the election;
b
may not be made within the period of six months ending with the ordinary day of election in relation to England, or (if earlier) the ordinary day of election in relation to Wales, in the year of the election (or the first of the elections) to which the order relates.
6
In this section, “the ordinary day of election” in any year means—
a
in relation to England, the day which is the ordinary day of election in that year of councillors for counties in England and districts (see sections 37 and 37A of the Representation of the People Act 1983), and
b
in relation to Wales, the day which is the ordinary day of election in that year of councillors for counties in Wales and county boroughs (see sections 37 and 37B of that Act).
7
The term of office of a person elected as a police and crime commissioner at an ordinary election—
a
begins with the seventh day after the day of the poll at the election, and
b
ends with the sixth day after the day of the poll at the next ordinary election of police and crime commissioners.
8
Subsection (7) is subject to any provision of or made under this or any other Act relating to the appointment or election of police and crime commissioners or their ceasing to hold office.