Representation of the People Act 1983

[F118APolling districts at parliamentary elections[F2: Great Britain] U.K.

(1)Every constituency is to be divided into polling districts.

(2)A relevant authority must—

(a)divide its area into polling districts for the purpose of parliamentary elections for so much of any constituency as is situated in its area, and

(b)keep the polling districts under review.

(3)The following rules apply—

(a)the authority must seek to ensure that all electors in a constituency in its area have such reasonable facilities for voting as are practicable in the circumstances;

(b)in England, each parish is to be a separate polling district;

(c)in Wales, each community is to be a separate polling district;

(d)in Scotland, each electoral ward (within the meaning of section 1 of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004) is to be divided into two or more separate polling districts.

(4)Subsection (3)(b) to (d) does not apply if, in any case, there are special circumstances.

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

(a)the registration officer who acts for the area must make such adaptations of his register of parliamentary electors as are necessary to take account of the alteration, and

(b)the alteration is effective on the date on which the registration officer publishes a notice stating that the adaptations have been made by him.

[F3(6)This section does not apply to Northern Ireland.]]

Textual Amendments

F1Ss. 18A-18E substituted (1.1.2007 for E.W.S. and 1.7.2008 for N.I.) for s. 18 by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 16(1), 77; S.I. 2006/3412, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 14(c) (subject to transitional provisions in art. 6, Sch. 2); S.I. 2008/1316, arts 2, 4

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1S. 18A(1) applied (with modifications) by S.I. 2001/2599, art. 3, Sch. 1 (as substituted (10.2.2009) by S.I. 2009/256, arts. 1(2), 3, Sch. 1)