SCHEDULE
Rule 2(7)
REPLACEMENT FOR SCHEDULE 3 TO THE PRINCIPAL AREAS RULES
SCHEDULE 3
Rule 6
RULES FOR CONDUCT OF AN ELECTION OF COUNCILLORS OF A PRINCIPAL AREA WHERE THE POLL IS TAKEN TOGETHER WITH THE POLL AT A RELEVANT ELECTION OR REFERENDUM
PART I
PROVISIONS AS TO TIME
Timetable
The proceedings at the election shall be conducted in accordance with the following Table.
TIMETABLE
Proceeding |
Time |
Publication of notice of election |
Not later than the twenty-fifth day before the day of election. |
Delivery of nomination papers |
Not later than noon on the nineteenth day before the day of election, except that where the poll at the principal area election is combined with the poll at a European Parliamentary election, nomination papers may be delivered until 4 in the afternoon. |
Publication of statement as to persons nominated |
Not later than noon on the seventeenth day before the day of election. |
Delivery of notices of withdrawals of candidature |
Not later than noon on the sixteenth day before the day of election. |
Notice of poll |
Not later than the sixth day before the day of election. |
Polling |
Between the hours of 8 in the morning and 9 at night on the day of election, except where the polling at any relevant election or referendum is to take place between the hours of 7 in the morning and 10 at night, in which case the polling at the principal area election shall also take place during those hours. |
Computation of time
In computing any period of time for the purposes of the Timetable—
a Saturday or Sunday,
Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday or a bank holiday, or
a day appointed for public thanksgiving or mourning,
shall be disregarded, and any such day shall not be treated as a day for the purpose of any proceedings up to the completion of the poll nor shall the returning officer be obliged to proceed with the counting of the votes on such a day.
In this rule “bank holiday” means a day which is a bank holiday under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 197113in England and Wales.
PART II
STAGES COMMON TO CONTESTED AND UNCONTESTED ELECTIONS
NOTICE OF ELECTION
Notice of election
The returning officer shall publish notice of the election stating—
the place and times at which nomination papers are to be delivered, and
the date of the poll in the event of a contest,
and the notice shall state that forms of nomination papers may be obtained at that place and those times.
The notice of election shall state the date by which—
applications to vote by post or by proxy, and
other applications and notices about postal or proxy voting,
must reach the registration office in order that they may be effective for the election.
NOMINATION
Nomination of candidates
Each candidate shall be nominated by a separate nomination paper, in the form in the Appendix, delivered at the place fixed for the purpose by the returning officer, which shall be at the offices of the council of the district or London borough in which the electoral area wholly or mainly lies.
The nomination paper shall state the candidate's—
full names,
home address in full, and
if desired, description,
and the surname shall be placed first in the list of names.
The description (if any) must consist of either—
a description (of not more than six words in length) which is authorised as mentioned in rule 4A(1) below; or
the words “Independent”.
Nomination papers: name of registered political party
A nomination paper may not include a description of a candidate which is likely to lead voters to associate the candidate with a registered political party unless the party is a qualifying party in relation to the electoral area and the description is authorised by a certificate—
issued by or on behalf of the registered nominating officer of the party, and
received by the returning officer before the last time for the delivery of nomination papers.
A person shall be guilty of a corrupt practice if he fraudulently purports to be authorised to issue a certificate under paragraph (1) on behalf of a registered political party’s nominating officer.
For the purposes of the application of this rule in relation to an election—
“registered political party” means a party which was registered under Part II of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 at the time by which the notice of election is required to be published by virtue of rule 1 above (“the relevant time”);
a registered political party is a qualifying party in relation to an electoral area if the electoral area is in England or Wales and the party was at the relevant time registered in respect of that part of Great Britain in the Great Britain register maintained under that Part of that Act.
Subscription of nomination paper
The nomination paper shall be subscribed by two electors as proposer and seconder, and by eight other electors as assenting to the nomination.
Where a nomination paper has the signatures of more than the required number of persons as proposing, seconding or assenting to the nomination of a candidate, the signature or signatures (up to the required...