The Local Elections (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Order 2024

Part 3 Amendment of other electoral legislation

Amendment of Schedule 5 to the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962

9.—(1) Schedule 5 to the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962 (local election rules) is amended as follows.

(2) In rule 45 (preliminary proceedings and conduct of the count)(1), in paragraph (2)—

(a) in sub-paragraph (a), after “it is returned” insert “by post or by hand”;

(b) at the end of sub-paragraph (a) omit “and”;

(c) after sub-paragraph (b) insert—

“and

(c) the postal ballot paper is not one that falls to be rejected in accordance with paragraph 15C of Part 3 of Schedule 2 to the Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 1985.”.

(3) In the Appendix of Forms(2)—

(a) replace form 5 (declaration of identity) with the form in Schedule 2;

(b) replace form 6A (elector’s official postal poll card) with the form in Schedule 3;

(c) replace form 7A (proxy’s official postal poll card) with the form in Schedule 4.

Amendment of the Elections Act 2001

10.  In the Schedule to the Elections Act 2001(3) (Northern Ireland: modification of election provisions), in paragraph 29 (forms), replace the form inserted by sub-paragraph (2) (form 5A: declaration of identity (combined polls))(4) with the form in Schedule 5.

Amendment of the Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 2010

11.  In Schedule 3 to the Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 2010 (access to marked registers and other documents open to public inspection after an election)(5), in paragraph 4(1) (public inspection of other documents)—

(a) at the end of paragraph (b) omit “and”;

(b) after paragraph (c) insert—

“and

(d) lists compiled in accordance with paragraph 15H(1) of Part 3 of Schedule 2 to the 1985 Order(6) and any extracts produced from those lists.”.

(1)

Rule 45 was substituted by S.I. 1985/454, and paragraph (2) was amended by S.I. 2002/2835.

(2)

Relevant amendments were made by paragraph 61(4) of Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 to the Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22) and S.I. 2010/2977, 2014/1116, 2015/566 and 2020/635.

(3)

2001 c. 7. Relevant amending instrument is S.I. 2015/566.

(4)

Paragraph 29(2) inserts form 5A (declaration of identity (combined polls)) into the Appendix of Forms in Schedule 5 to the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962 for the purposes of a combined local and parliamentary election. Form 5A (declaration of identity (combined polls)) was substituted by S.I. 2015/566.

(5)

S.I. 2010/2977.

(6)

For the meaning of “1985 Order”, see paragraph 1(1) of Schedule 3 to S.I. 2010/2977.