Elected Authorities (Northern Ireland) Act 1989

Franchise for local elections

1Local electors in Northern Ireland

(1)Subject to subsections (2) and (3) below, a person is entitled to vote as an elector at a local election in any district electoral area if—

(a)he is resident there on the qualifying date and was resident in Northern Ireland during the whole of the period of three months ending on that date,

(b)on that date and on the date of the poll—

(i)he is not subject to any legal incapacity to vote (age apart), and

(ii)he is either a Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland, and

(c)he is of the age of eighteen years or over on the date of the poll.

(2)A person is not entitled to vote as an elector in any district electoral area unless registered there in the register of local electors to be used at the election.

(3)A person is not entitled to vote as an elector—

(a)more than once in the same district electoral area at any local election, or

(b)in more than one district electoral area at a local general election for any district.

(4)For the purposes of this section, a person does not attain the age of eighteen years until the beginning of the relevant anniversary of the day of his birth.

2Application of provisions of Representation of the People Act 1983 to local elections in Northern Ireland

(1)Notwithstanding section 205(2) of the Representation of the [1983 c. 2.] People Act 1983 (Act does not affect law relating to local government in Northern Ireland), the provisions of that Act specified in Part I of Schedule 1 to this Act shall have effect in Northern Ireland for the purposes of local elections (as well as parliamentary elections) but, in the case of local elections, with the modifications specified in Part II of that Schedule.

(2)In the case of local elections, it is immaterial for the purposes of section 3 of that Act (disfranchisement of convicted persons) as applied by this section whether the conviction or sentence was before or after the passing of this Act.