SCHEDULE 1System of Election, &c.
F1European Parliamentary elections
2
F2(1)
The persons entitled to vote as electors at an F3European Parliamentary election in any particular F3European Parliamentary constituency shall be—
(a)
those who, on the day appointed under paragraph 3 below for the election, would be entitled to vote as electors at a parliamentary election in a parliamentary constituency wholly or partly comprised in the F3European Parliamentary constituency (excluding any person not registered in the register of parliamentary electors at an address within the F3European Parliamentary constituency); and
(b)
peers who, on that day, would be entitled to vote at a local government election in an electoral area wholly or partly comprised in the F3European Parliamentary constituency (excluding any peer not registered at an address within the F3European Parliamentary constituency for the purposes of local government elections).
(2)
In an F3European Parliamentary election in the constituency of Northern Ireland each vote shall be a single transferable vote, that is to say a vote—
(a)
capable of being given so as to indicate the voter’s order of preference for the candidates for election as representatives for the constituency; and
(b)
capable of being transferred to the next choice—
(i)
when the vote is not required to give a prior choice the necessary quota of votes; or
(ii)
when, owing to the deficiency in the number of votes given for a prior choice, that choice is eliminated from the list of candidates.
(3)
Subject to the provisions of this and the following paragraph, the Secretary of State may by regulations make provision—
(a)
(b)
as to the questioning of such an election and the consequences of irregularities.
F5(3A)
Regulations under this paragraph may make provision (including the creation of criminal offences)—
(a)
about the limitation of election expenses F6of candidates;
(b)
for the allocation of seats in the case of an equality of votes;
(c)
for securing that no person stands for election more than once at a general election.
For the purposes of this sub-paragraph a person stands for election if he is nominated as a candidate or is included in a party’s list of candidates.
(3B)
Regulations under this paragraph shall, in relation to an election in an electoral region in Great Britain, make provision for the nomination of registered parties, including provision requiring a nomination to be accompanied by a list of candidates numbering no more than the MEPs to be elected for that region.
(4)
Regulations under this paragraph may—
(a)
apply, with such modifications or exceptions as may be specified in the regulations, any provision of the Representation of the People Acts or of any other enactment relating to parliamentary elections or local government elections, and any provision made under any enactment;
(b)
amend any form contained in regulations made under the Representation of the People Acts so far as may be necessary to enable it to be used both for the purpose indicated in regulations so made and for the corresponding purpose in relation to F3European Parliamentary elections;
F7(c)
so far as may be necessary in consequence of any provision made by or under this Act, amend any provision made by or under any enactment relating to the registration of parliamentary electors or local government electors.
(5)
(6)
No regulations shall be made under this paragraph unless a draft thereof has been laid before Parliament and approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.