The Local and European Parliamentary Elections (Registration of Citizens of Accession States) Regulations 2003

Modification of the Electoral Law (Northern Ireland) Act 1962

3.—(1) Paragraph 12A (supplementary provisions about voting offences) of Schedule 9 to the Electoral Law (Northern Ireland) Act 1962,(1) shall for the purposes of—

(a) the registration of relevant citizens of the Accession States as local electors before 1st May 2004, and

(b) making arrangements for persons so registered to exercise the right to vote if they become relevant citizens of the Union on 1st May 2004,

apply subject to the modification in paragraph (2).

(2) In sub-paragraph (1), for the words “For the purposes of this sub-paragraph” to the end of the sub-paragraph, substitute—

• “For the purposes of this sub-paragraph, references to a person being subject to a legal incapacity to vote do not, in relation to things done before polling day at the election or first election at which or for which they are done—

  (i)

  include his being below voting age if he will be of voting age on that day;

  (ii)

  include his being a citizen of an Accession State, and therefore not entitled to vote until the Accession State in question accedes to the European Union on 1st May 2004.”.

(1)

1962 c. 14 (N.I.). Paragraph 12A of Schedule 9 to the Electoral Law (Northern Ireland) Act 1962 was substituted by S.I. 1987/168, paragraph 50, Schedule 1.