{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/draft-northern-ireland-elections-combined-polls-2027-regulations-2026/note",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/draft-northern-ireland-elections-combined-polls-2027-regulations-2026/note.json",
  "legislation": "ukdsi/2026/9780348288179",
  "legislation_title": "The Northern Ireland Elections (Combined Polls 2027) Regulations 2026",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/draft-northern-ireland-elections-combined-polls-2027-regulations-2026",
  "path": "note",
  "kind": "note",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Explanatory note",
  "text": "(This note is not part of the Regulations)\nThese Regulations modify the application of the legislation governing elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly and local elections in Northern Ireland in order to enable polls at those elections to be taken together on 6th May 2027, if the Chief Electoral Officer directs that the polls are to be taken together.\nThe Regulations make provision about various matters, including the timetable for the elections, the use of ballot papers of different colours, official poll cards, ballot boxes, notices and guidance to be displayed at polling stations and admission to polling stations. The Regulations also permit certain election documents and records to be combined for the purposes of the elections, including registers, lists and declarations, and make provision about the retention of election documents.\nThe Regulations provide for the verification of ballot papers and ballot paper accounts for both elections before the count of votes at the Assembly election commences. They also modify the timing of the count of votes at the local elections and in consequence the date on which members of district councils retire and take office.\nThe Regulations also make provision about the treatment of postal ballot papers and other documents relating to postal voting in one election that are returned in an envelope relating to the other election.\nA full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2026/9780348288179/note",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-31T10:30:41.261110+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}