Elected Authorities (Northern Ireland) Act 1989

Franchise for local elections N.I.

1 Local electors in Northern Ireland. N.I.

[F1 (1) A person is entitled to vote as an elector at a local election in any district electoral area if on the date of the poll he—

(a) is registered in the register of local electors for that area;

(b) is not subject to any legal incapacity to vote (age apart);

(c) is a Commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or a relevant citizen of the Union, and

(d) is of the age of eighteen or over.]

(3) A person is not entitled to vote as an elector—

(a) more than once in the same district electoral area at any local election, or

(b) in more than one district electoral area at a local general election for any district.

(4) For the purposes of this section, a person does not attain the age of eighteen years until the beginning of the relevant anniversary of the day of his birth.

Textual Amendments

F1 S. 1(1) substituted for s. 1(1)(2) (29.1.2001 for specified purposes and otherwise 16.2.2001) by 2000 c. 2, s. 8, Sch. 3 para. 2; S.I. 2001/116, art. 2(1)(2)

2 Application of provisions of Representation of the People Act 1983 to local elections in Northern Ireland. N.I.

(1) Notwithstanding section 205(2) of the Representation of the M1 People Act 1983 (Act does not affect law relating to local government in Northern Ireland), the provisions of that Act specified in Part I of Schedule 1 to this Act shall have effect in Northern Ireland for the purposes of local elections (as well as parliamentary elections) but, in the case of local elections, with the modifications specified in Part II of that Schedule.

(2) In the case of local elections, it is immaterial for the purposes of section 3 of that Act (disfranchisement of convicted persons) as applied by this section whether the conviction or sentence was before or after the passing of this Act.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 2 applied (9.7.2003) by The Local and European Parliamentary Elections (Registration of Citizens of Accession States) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/1557), reg. 4 (subject to reg. 2)

Marginal Citations

M1 1983 c. 2.