The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2001

Combination of referendum and election polls: supplementary provisions relating to elections

16.—(1) The following paragraphs of this regulation shall apply, in relation to the election or, as the case may be, the elections, where polls are taken together in accordance with regulation 14(1), (7) or (11).

(2) Where a person applies under the RPAct 2000 or the Elections Regulations (as applied, with modifications, by regulation 8) to vote by post, or to vote by proxy, at the referendum, he shall be treated as applying also to vote at the election by post or by proxy.

(3) The ballot papers at the election shall be of a different colour from that of any ballot papers used at the referendum.

(4) The functions specified in regulation 98 of the 1986 Regulations shall be discharged—

(a) where the election is a European Parliamentary election, by the local returning officer;

(b) where the election is a GLA election, by the constituency returning officer;

(c) in any other case, by the returning officer at the election.

(5) If the returning officer at the election or, where the poll at more than one election is to be taken with the poll at the referendum, the returning officers at those elections, and the counting officer think fit, one ballot box may be used at the election (or elections) and the referendum; but if separate boxes are used, no vote at the election (or elections) shall be rendered invalid by the ballot paper being placed in the ballot box intended for the ballot papers at the referendum.

(6) The 1985 Act, the RPAct 2000, the 1986 Regulations and the Elections Regulations shall have effect subject to the modifications provided for in Part I of Schedule 5.

(7) In relation to an election to which the Principal Areas Rules apply, in rule 4 (interpretation)(1) of those Rules, there shall be inserted, at the appropriate place, the following definition—

““referendum” means a referendum to which the Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2001 apply;”.

(8) The Parliamentary Elections Rules, the European Parliamentary Elections Rules, the Principal Areas Rules, and the GLA Elections Rules, shall have effect subject to the modifications set out in Part II, Part II, Part III, and Part IV, respectively, of Schedule 5.

(1)

Rule 4 was amended by S.I. 2000/427, Schedule 7, Part I, paragraph 1.