The Overseas Electors, Postal Vote Handling and Secrecy (Amendment) Rules 2023

Citation, commencement, savings and extent

1.—(1) These Rules may be cited as the Overseas Electors, Postal Vote Handling and Secrecy (Amendment) Rules 2023.

(2) These Rules come into force on 13th December 2023, except for rule 6 which comes into force on the day on which section 14 of the Elections Act 2022(1) comes into force fully.

(3) The amendments made by rules 2 to 5 of these Rules have no effect in relation to—

(a) an election of a chairman of a parish meeting in respect of which the date of the parish meeting specified in the notice of the meeting is on or before 1st May 2024;

(b) a poll consequent on a parish meeting which is demanded on or before 1st May 2024;

(c) a local government election(2) in respect of which the date of the poll specified in the notice of election published in accordance with the relevant rule is on or before 1st May 2024.

(4) In paragraph (3), “the relevant rule” means (as the case may be)—

(a) rule 3 of Schedule 2 or rule 3 of Schedule 3 to the Local Elections (Principal Areas) (England and Wales) Rules 2006(3);

(b) rule 3 of Schedule 2 or rule 3 of Schedule 3 to the Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) (England and Wales) Rules 2006(4);

(c) rule 5 of Schedule 1, rule 5 of Schedule 2, rule 5 of Schedule 3, rule 5 of Schedule 5, rule 5 of Schedule 6 or rule 5 of Schedule 7 to the Greater London Authority Elections Rules 2007(5).

(5) In these Rules—

(a) this rule and rule 6 extend to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland;

(b) the remainder extend to England and Wales only.

(1)

2022 c. 37.

(2)

See section 203(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 for the meaning of “local government election”.

(3)

S.I. 2006/3304; relevant amending instruments are S.I. 2014/494, 2018/1310, 2022/263 (W. 79).

(4)

S.I. 2006/3305; relevant amending instruments are S.I. 2014/492, 2018/1310, 2022/263 (W. 79).

(5)

S.I. 2007/3541; relevant amending instruments are S.I. 2016/24, 2018/1310, 2022/1111.