The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) Order 2003
PART IGENERAL
1Citation, commencement and revocation
2Interpretation
PART IIASSEMBLY FRANCHISE AND ITS EXERCISE
3Voting at Assembly elections
4Registers of electors etc
5Registration appeals
6Polling districts and places at Assembly elections
7Manner of voting at Assembly elections
8Absent vote at Assembly elections for a particular or an indefinite period
9Absent vote at a particular Assembly election
10Absent voters list at Assembly elections
11Proxies at Assembly elections
12Voting as proxy at Assembly elections
13Offences
14Absent voting at Assembly elections: miscellaneous
15Combination of polls at Assembly and local government elections
16Conduct of Assembly elections etc
17Returning officers
18Officers of councils to be placed at disposal of returning officers
19Returning officers: discharge of functions
20Returning officers: general
21Payments by and to returning officer
22Taxation of returning officer’s account
23Loan of equipment for Assembly elections
24Effect of registers
25Effect of misdescription
26Discharge of registration duties
27Payment of expenses of registration
28Personation
29Other voting offences
30Breach of official duty
31Tampering with nomination papers, ballot papers etc
32False statements in nomination papers etc.
33Requirement of secrecy
34Prohibition on publication of exit polls
PART IIITHE ELECTION CAMPAIGN
35Appointment of election agent
36Nomination of sub-agent
37Office of election agent and sub-agent
38Effect of default in election agent’s appointment
39Control of donations to constituency and individual candidates
40Expenses of constituency candidate
41Constituency and individual candidates: payment of expenses by or through election agent
42Expenses which may be paid otherwise than by election agent
43Expenses incurred otherwise than for election purposes
44Constituency and individual candidates: prohibition of expenses not authorised by election agent etc
45Constituency and individual candidates: limitation of election expenses
46Power to vary provisions concerning election expenses
47Time for sending in and paying claims
48Disputed claims
49Election agent’s claim
50Constituency or individual candidates: return as to election expenses
51Constituency and individual candidates: declarations as to election expenses
52Party list candidates: declarations as to election expenses
53Circumstances in which no return or declaration is required
54Penalty for failure as respects return of declarations
55Penalty for sitting or voting where no return and declarations are delivered etc
56Authorised excuses for failures as to return and declarations
57Court’s power to require information from election agent or sub-agent
58Duty of appropriate returning officer to forward returns and declarations to Electoral Commission
59Publication of time and place of inspection of returns and declarations
60Constituency and individual candidates: inspection of returns and declarations
61Meaning of “election expenses”
62Incurring of election expenses for purposes of article 61
63Property, goods, services etc provided free of charge or at a discount
64Right to send election address post free
65Broadcasting from outside United Kingdom
66Broadcasting of local items during election period.
67Imitation poll cards
68Schools and rooms for Assembly election meetings
69Disturbances at Assembly election meetings
70Officials not to act for candidates
71Illegal canvassing by police officers
72False statements as to candidates
73Corrupt withdrawal from candidature
74Payments for exhibition of election notices
75Printer’s name and address on election publications
76Prohibition of paid canvassers
77Providing money for illegal purposes
78Bribery
79Treating
80Undue influence
81Rights of creditors
82Savings as to Assembly elections
83Interpretation of Part III
84Computation of time for purposes of Part III
PART IVLEGAL PROCEEDINGS
85Method of questioning Assembly election
86Presentation and service of Assembly election petition
87Time for presentation or amendment of Assembly election petition
88Constitution of election court and place of trial
89Judges' expenses and reception
90Attendance of shorthand writer
91Security for costs
92Petition at issue
93List of petitions
94Trial of petition
95Witnesses
96Duty to answer relevant questions
97Expenses of witnesses
98Conclusion of trial of Assembly election petition
99Election court determination in respect of a constituency election etc
100Regional election determined to be void by election court
101Special case for determination of High Court
102Withdrawal of petition
103Costs of petition
104Neglect or refusal to pay costs
105Further provision as to costs
106Appeals and jurisdiction
107Report as to candidate guilty of a corrupt or illegal practice
108Candidate reported guilty of corrupt or illegal practice
109Persons reported personally guilty of corrupt or illegal practices
110Persons reported personally guilty of corrupt or illegal practices at parliamentary elections or local government elections
111Persons reported personally guilty of corrupt or illegal practices at European Parliamentary elections
112Justice of the peace
113Members of legal and certain other professions
114Holder of licence or certificate under Licensing Acts
115Avoidance of election for general corruption etc
116Avoidance of election for employing corrupt agent
117Votes to be struck off for corrupt or illegal practices
118Application for relief
119Prosecutions for corrupt practices
120Prosecutions for illegal practices
121Conviction of illegal practice on charge of corrupt practice etc
122Incapacities on conviction of corrupt or illegal practice
123Incapacities on conviction of corrupt or illegal practice at parliamentary or local government elections
124Incapacities on conviction of corrupt or illegal practice at European Parliamentary elections
125Mitigation and remission etc
126Illegal payments etc
127Time limit for prosecutions
128Prosecution of offences committed outside the United Kingdom
129Offences by associations
130Evidence by certificate of holding of Assembly elections
131Evidence by certificate of electoral registration
132Director of Public Prosecutions
133Rules of procedure
134Costs
135Service of notices
136Interpretation of Part IV
137Computation of time for purposes of Part IV
PART VMISCELLANEOUS AND SUPPLEMENTAL
138Advertisements
139Assembly constituencies not wholly within a county or county borough
140Forms: absent voting
141Forms: general
142Public notices, and declarations
143Sending of applications and notices
144Publication of documents
145Interference with notices etc
146Premises used for election purposes
SCHEDULES
1.Electors lists and registers: miscellaneous and related provision.
2.Absent voting at Assembly elections.
3.Issue and receipt of postal ballot papers.
4.Combination of polls.
5.Conduct of Assembly elections and return of Assembly members.
6.Control of donations to candidates.
7.Returns and declarations as to election expenses.
8.Use for Assembly election meetings of rooms in school premises and of meeting rooms.
9.Modification of Election Petition Rules 1960.

2003 No. 284

CONSTITUTIONAL LAWDEVOLUTION, WALESREPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE

The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) Order 2003

Made

Coming into force in accordance with article 1

The Secretary of State for Wales, in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by section 11 of the Government of Wales Act 19981 and after consulting the Electoral Commission 2, hereby makes the following Order, a draft of which has been laid before, and approved by, a resolution of each House of Parliament —