Citation

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Elections Act 2022 (Commencement No. 5 and Savings) Regulations 2022.

Provisions coming into force on 29th December 2022

2. The following provisions of the Elections Act 2022 come into force on 29th December 2022—

(a) section 9 (assistance with voting for persons with disabilities), so far as not already in force;

(b) section 12 (local elections and Assembly elections in Northern Ireland), so far as it relates to the provisions of Schedule 6 brought into force by paragraph (c);

(c) the following paragraphs of Schedule 6 (local elections in Northern Ireland and elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly)—

(i) paragraphs 1 and 6, so far as those paragraphs relate to the provisions brought into force by sub-paragraphs (ii) to (iv);

(ii) in paragraph 12—

(aa) sub-paragraph (1), so far as it relates to the provisions brought into force by paragraphs (bb) to (dd);

(bb) sub-paragraph (3);

(cc) sub-paragraph (4), so far as not already in force;

(dd) sub-paragraph (5);

(iii) in paragraph 16—

(aa) sub-paragraph (1), so far as it relates to the provision brought into force by paragraph (bb);

(bb) sub-paragraphs (2) and (4);

(iv) paragraph 22;

(v) paragraph 34(b);

(vi) paragraph 35, so far as it relates to the provision brought into force by sub-paragraph (vii);

(vii) paragraph 46.

Savings

3. —(1) The provisions which come into force in accordance with regulation 2 do not apply to an election in respect of which the qualifying date is on or before 3rd May 2023.

(2) In paragraph (1), “ qualifying date ” means the date of the poll as specified in the notice of election published in accordance with—

(a) in the case of a parliamentary election, rule 5 of Schedule 1 to RPA 1983( 2 );

(b) in the case of a local election in Northern Ireland, rule 4 of Schedule 5 to the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962( 3 );

(c) in the case of an election to the Northern Ireland Assembly, rule 5 of Schedule 1 to RPA 1983 (as applied by article 3 of, and Schedule 1 to, the Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections) Order 2001( 4 )).