Article 13 Definitions

In this Part—

• “the 2000 Act” means the Representation of the People Act 2000^f1,

• “the 2015 Order” means the Scottish Parliament (Elections etc.) Order 2015^f2,

• “ERO” means an electoral registration officer within the meaning of the Representation of the People 1983 Act^f3,

• “paragraph 14 notice” means a notice under paragraph 14 (requirement to provide fresh signatures at five yearly intervals) of schedule 3 (absent voting) of the 2015 Order,

• “qualifying address” means the address at which the elector is registered in the register of local government electors, maintained under section 9(1)(b) of the Representation of the People Act 1983^f4,

• “relevant day” means 3 November 2026,

• “relevant devolved absent voting application” means an application, including a partially completed application under article 8, 9, 10 or 11 of the 2015 Order^f5.

• “relevant devolved election postal vote entitlement” means an entitlement, granted before the relevant day, to vote—

  1. (a)

     by post as a proxy where the entitlement was granted at Scottish parliamentary elections, on an application under article 11(4) (voting as proxy) of the 2015 Order, where the proxy does not have a reserved postal proxy entitlement, or

  2. (b)

     by post where the entitlement was granted at Scottish parliamentary elections, or local government and Scottish parliamentary elections, on an application under article 8(1) (absent vote at Scottish parliamentary elections) of the 2015 Order,

• “reserved expiry date” means the date on which P’s reserved postal vote entitlement, if P has one, ends, in accordance with paragraph 3(1A) (absent vote at elections for a period) of schedule 4 (absent voting in Great Britain) of the 2000 Act^f6,

• “reserved postal proxy entitlement” means an entitlement to vote by post, as proxy, at parliamentary elections, or a parliamentary election, in Scotland, where the entitlement was granted before the relevant day on an application under paragraph 7(4)(a) (voting as proxy) of schedule 4 of the 2000 Act^f7,

• “reserved postal vote entitlement” means an entitlement to vote by post at UK Parliamentary elections in Scotland, where the entitlement was granted before the relevant day on an application under paragraphs 3(1) or 3(7) of schedule 4 of the 2000 Act^f8,

• “signature refresh date” means the 31 January by which the registration officer would be required to send P a paragraph 14 notice assuming there has been no change in the person’s entitlement or entitlements to vote by post or by proxy after the relevant day, and disregarding paragraph 5 and the amendment made by article 12 of this Order,

• “transitional expiry date” means—

  1. (a)

     the third 31 January following the relevant day, or

  2. (b)

     if sooner, the signature refresh date for the relevant devolved election postal vote entitlement.