The Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 2013

Consequential changes to polling districts and places for parliamentary elections

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

(2) In section 18A (polling districts at parliamentary elections)(2)—

(a) in the heading, at the end insert “: Great Britain”; and

(b) after subsection (5) insert—

“(6) This section does not apply to Northern Ireland.”.

(3) After section 18A insert—

“Polling districts at parliamentary elections: Northern Ireland

18AA.— (1) Every constituency in Northern Ireland is to be divided into polling districts.

(2) The Secretary of State must—

(a) divide Northern Ireland into polling districts for the purpose of parliamentary elections, and

(b) keep the polling districts under review.

(3) The Secretary of State must seek to ensure that all electors in Northern Ireland have such reasonable facilities for voting as are practicable in the circumstances.

(4) Before dividing Northern Ireland into polling districts under subsection (2)(a) or completing a review under subsection (2)(b), the Secretary of State must consult—

(a) the Electoral Commission, and

(b) any other person the Secretary of State considers appropriate.

(5) If an alteration of polling districts is made under this section—

(a) the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland must make such adaptations of the registers of parliamentary electors maintained by that officer as are necessary to take account of the alteration, and

(b) the alteration is effective on the date on which the Chief Electoral Officer publishes a notice stating that the adaptations have been made.”.

(4) In section 18C (review of polling districts and places)—

(a) in the heading, at the end insert “: Great Britain”; and

(b) after subsection (6) insert—

“(7) This section does not apply to Northern Ireland.”.

(5) After section 18C insert—

“Review of polling places: Northern Ireland

18CA.— (1) The Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland must, during each compulsory review year, carry out and complete a review under section 18B of all the polling places in Northern Ireland.

(2) The compulsory review years are 2014 and every fifth year after that.

(3) Subsection (1) does not prevent the Chief Electoral Officer carrying out a review under section 18B of some or all of the polling places in Northern Ireland at other times.

(4) Subsection (1) does not require the Chief Electoral Officer to carry out and complete a review of all the polling places in Northern Ireland during a compulsory review year if reviews under section 18B of all those polling places are completed during the previous year.

(5) Schedule A1, except paragraphs 2 and 3, has effect in relation to a review under section 18B of polling places in Northern Ireland.”.

(6) In section 18E (sections 18A to 18D: supplemental)—

(a) in subsection (3), after paragraph (c) insert—

“(d) in relation to Northern Ireland, the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland.”;

(b) omit subsection (4).

(1)

1983 c. 2.

(2)

Sections 18A to 18E were substituted for section 18 by section 16 of the Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22).