Even if Gordon Brown calls the general election for Thursday 6 May, the date on which local elections are also due to be held, that won’t be the only round of elections this spring.
That’s because the holding of the general election on the same day as local elections means any contested parish and community elections due on 6 May will be postponed by three weeks.
Uncontested elections will still be concluded on 6 May, with people taking office subsequently in the usual way (i.e. on the fourth day after the election). Where there are delayed contested elections, the date of of the annual parish or town council meeting will also be postponed, having to take place within 14 days of 27 May rather than 6 May.
(To see a full timetable for May elections see here.)
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6 Comments
Why Mark? The rule is no more than two PRINCIPLE elections can be held on the same day, surely?
Why? Well, because that’s the law 🙂 I suspect the reason you may be surprised by it is that other double-election days (such as last year’s Euro elections) have also had special legal provision made for parish/town elections not to be postponed. However, there’s no such special provision for this year.
Surely ‘principal’, not ‘principle’?
Martin, the election rules I know say parish elections cannot be held on the date of a general election, there is no such rule for principal authorities (districts, boroughs, counties etc). Which is what I believe Mark is saying here.
Great. The electoral system in this country is so stupid as to border on the unbelievable. Just as soon as I think I’ve caught up with every idiocy they can come up with Mark pulls another one out of the hat.
I’ve now got the official 16 page advice note to RO’s from the Electoral Commission. Unbelievable. A complex situation is being created which is ripe for mistakes. Read the passage on the issuing of Polling Cards! Perhaps we should get Robert Mugabe in to replace the Electoral Commission?
And what sort of turnout are we going to get for contested Town and Parish elections on May 27th? Town and Parish Councillors work as hard as many District and County Councillors for no remuneration and once again they are being treated in a way that shows how much contempt they are held in by central government. It’s no wonder so many Towns and Parishes have vacancies and uncontested elections.
Just unbelievable.
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