The Police and Crime Commissioner Elections Order 2012

The second calculation and resolution of equality

61.—(1) Once the police area returning officer has received from each local returning officer the statement required by rule 60(2)(c), the police area returning officer must comply with paragraph 4(5) and (6) of Schedule 9 to the 2011 Act.

(2) As soon as the police area returning officer has ascertained the result of the second calculation, the officer must provide such of the election agents for those candidates who remain in the contest as are then present with a copy of the relevant figures and must give them a reasonable opportunity to satisfy themselves as to the accuracy of the calculation.

(3) A person informed of the relevant figures under paragraph (2) may require the police area returning officer to make a calculation again but the officer may refuse to do so if in the officer’s opinion the request is unreasonable.

(4) In paragraphs (2) and (3), “the relevant figures” means—

(a) the number of second preference votes given in the police area for each of the candidates remaining in the contest, and

(b) the calculation undertaken by the police area returning officer for the purpose of ascertaining the total number of first and second preference votes given to each of those candidates.

(5) If, after the second calculation, the total number of votes given for two or more candidates is equal, the person to be returned the office of police and crime commissioner for the police area is the person whom the police area returning officer decides, in accordance with paragraph 4(8) of Schedule 9 to the 2011 Act, is to be returned to that office.

(6) Rule 58(2) and (3) has effect in relation to the calculation to be made under this rule as it has effect in relation to the calculation made under rule 59 but as if the reference to candidates was to candidates not eliminated from the contest and the reference to election agents or counting agents was to election agents or counting agents appointed by such candidates.