Elections Act 2022

Transitional provisions relating to proxy voting

32 (1) This paragraph applies where—

(a) a proxy appointment is in force immediately before the day specified for the purposes of this paragraph (“the specified day”) as a result of an application made before the day on which the relevant provisions of this Schedule come into force, and

(b) the appointment has effect immediately before the specified day in relation to local elections in Northern Ireland or a particular local election in Northern Ireland.

(2) On the specified day, the proxy appointment ceases to have effect as mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(b).

(3) The Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland must, before the specified day, send the person who is entitled to vote by proxy by means of the proxy appointment—

(a) a notice informing the person that the appointment ceases to have effect as mentioned in sub-paragraph (1)(b) on the specified day (naming that day), and

(b) information about how to make a fresh application to vote by proxy.

(4) As soon as practicable after the specified day, the Chief Electoral Officer must alter the relevant absent voters’ records as necessary to reflect the change to the proxy appointment resulting from sub-paragraph (2).

(5) More than one day may be specified for the purposes of this paragraph if the relevant provisions of this Schedule come into force on different days (and in such a case references in this paragraph to the specified day and to the relevant provisions of this Schedule are to be construed accordingly).

(6) In this paragraph and paragraph 33—

• “the 1985 Order” means the Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 (S.I. 1985/454);

• “local election” has the meaning given by section 130(1) of the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962 (c. 14 (N.I.));

• “proxy appointment” means an appointment of a person to vote as proxy for another person;

• “relevant absent voters’ records” means—

  (a)

  the record kept under paragraph 1(3) of Part 1 of Schedule 2 to the 1985 Order,

  (b)

  the record kept under paragraph 4(5) of that Part, and

  (c)

  any lists kept under paragraphs 2(4) and 4(8) of that Part which have not been published under paragraph 15(6) of that Part;

• “relevant provisions of this Schedule” means paragraphs 26 and 28(2);

• “specified” means specified by the Secretary of State in regulations made by statutory instrument.