{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/local-elections-principal-areas-england-and-wales-rules-2006/rule-2",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/local-elections-principal-areas-england-and-wales-rules-2006/rule-2.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/2006/3304",
  "legislation_title": "The Local Elections (Principal Areas) (England and Wales) Rules 2006",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/local-elections-principal-areas-england-and-wales-rules-2006",
  "path": "rule/2",
  "kind": "rule",
  "number": "2",
  "heading": "Interpretation",
  "text": "(1) In these Rules,\n“1983 Act” means the Representation of the People Act 1983;\n“anonymous elector’s document” has the same meaning as in regulation 3(1) of the Voter Identification Regulations 2022;\n“Assembly constituency” shall have the same meaning as in section 2(4) and (5) of the Greater London Authority Act 1999;\n“the Combination of Polls Regulations” means the Representation of the People (Combination of Polls) (England and Wales) Regulations 2004;\n“combined authority mayoral election” means an election of a mayor for a combined authority under Part 6 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009;\n“combined county authority mayoral election” means an election of a mayor for a combined county authority under Chapter 1 of Part 2 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023;\n“counting observer” shall have the same meaning as in regulation 2(1) of the Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2012;\n“counting officer” shall have the same meaning as in regulation 2(1) of the Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2012;\n...\n“GLRO” means the Greater London returning officer, being the person who is for the time being the proper officer of the Greater London Authority for the purposes of section 35(2C) of the 1983 Act or any person acting on his behalf;\n...\n“mayoral election” means an election conducted under the Local Authorities (Mayoral Elections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007;\n“petition organiser” shall have the same meaning as in regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Referendums) (Petitions and Directions) (England) Regulations 2000;\n“police and crime commissioner election” means an election of a police and crime commissioner in accordance with Chapter 6 of Part 1 of the 2011 Act;\n“polling observer” shall have the same meaning as in regulation 2(1) of the Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2012;\n“principal area” means, a county in England, a district or a London borough;\n“referendum” means a referendum conducted under the Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2012;\n“temporary electoral identity document” has the same meaning as in regulation 3(1) of the Voter Identification Regulations 2022;\n“voting area” shall have the same meaning as in regulation 2 of the Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2012.\n(2) In these Rules, “relevant election or referendum” means one or more of the following—\n(a) a Parliamentary election;\n(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(c) another local government election;\n(d) a mayoral election;\n(da) a combined authority mayoral election;\n(db) a combined county authority mayoral election;\n(e) a referendum; and\n(f) a police and crime commissioner election,\nthe poll at which is taken together with the poll at the principal area election.\n(3) In the case of a referendum, a reference to—\n(a) a “candidate” shall be construed as a reference to a petition organiser;\n(b) an “election agent” or a “counting agent” shall be construed as a reference to a counting\nobserver;\n(c)a “polling agent” shall be construed as a reference to a polling observer; and\n(d)a “returning officer” shall be construed as a reference to a counting officer.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in rule 2(1) inserted (16.1.2023 with application in accordance with rule 1(3)(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Voter Identification (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendment) Rules 2022 (S.I. 2022/1397), rules 1(1), 3(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in rule 2(1) inserted (31.1.2017) by The Combined Authorities (Mayoral Elections) Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/67), reg. 1, Sch. 4 para. 3(2)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in rule 2(1) inserted (7.2.2024) by The Combined Authorities (Mayoral Elections) Order 2017 (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/131), regs. 1(3), 17(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in rule 2 substituted (6.4.2014 with effect in accordance with rule 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Local Elections (Principal Areas) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Rules 2014 (S.I. 2014/494), art. 1(2), rule 2(2)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Words in rule 2(1) revoked (31.12.2020) by The European Parliamentary Elections Etc. (Repeal, Revocation, Amendment and Saving Provisions) (United Kingdom and Gibraltar) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1310), reg. 1, Sch. 1 Pt. 2 Table 1 (as amended by S.I. 2019/1389, regs. 1, 2(2))"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F6",
      "text": "Words in rule 2 substituted (6.4.2014 with effect in accordance with rule 1(2) of the amending S.I.) by The Local Elections (Principal Areas) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Rules 2014 (S.I. 2014/494), art. 1(2), rule 2(3)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F7",
      "text": "Words in rule 2(1) inserted (25.7.2012) by The Police and Crime Commissioner Elections Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/1917), art. 1(2), Sch. 4 para. 10(2)(a)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F8",
      "text": "Words in rule 2(1) substituted (10.3.2022) by The Local Elections (Miscellaneous and Consequential Amendments) (Wales) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/263), reg. 1(2), Sch. 1 para. 2 (with reg. 12(d))"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F9",
      "text": "Words in rule 2(1) inserted (16.1.2023 with application in accordance with rule 1(3)(4) of the amending S.I.) by The Voter Identification (Principal Area, Parish and Greater London Authority Elections) (Amendment) Rules 2022 (S.I. 2022/1397), rules 1(1), 3(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F10",
      "text": "Rule 2(2)(b) revoked (31.12.2020) by The European Parliamentary Elections Etc. (Repeal, Revocation, Amendment and Saving Provisions) (United Kingdom and Gibraltar) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018 (S.I. 2018/1310), reg. 1, Sch. 1 Pt. 2 Table 1 (as amended by S.I. 2019/1389, regs. 1, 2(2))"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F11",
      "text": "Rule 2(2)(da) inserted (31.1.2017) by The Combined Authorities (Mayoral Elections) Order 2017 (S.I. 2017/67), reg. 1, Sch. 4 para. 3(2)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F12",
      "text": "Rule 2(2)(db) inserted (7.2.2024) by The Combined Authorities (Mayoral Elections) Order 2017 (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (S.I. 2024/131), regs. 1(3), 17(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F13",
      "text": "Rule 2(2)(f) inserted (25.7.2012) by The Police and Crime Commissioner Elections Order 2012 (S.I. 2012/1917), art. 1(2), Sch. 4 para. 10(2)(b)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Rule 2 applied (with modifications) (E.) (18.2.2012) by The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (Council Tax Increases) (England) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/444), reg. 1, Sch. 4 para. 1 Table 9 (with reg. 27)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "Rule 2 modified (3.8.2012) by The Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2031), regs. 1, 8, 12, 13, Sch. 4 Pt. 2 para. 16 (as amended (6.4.2014) by The Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I. 2014/333), regs. 1(6), 11 (with reg. 1(7))"
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "1999 c.29"
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "S.I. 2004/294 as amended by S.I. 2006/3278."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f3",
      "text": "Section 35(2C) was inserted by paragraphs 1 and 3 of Schedule 3 to the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (c.29)."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f4",
      "text": "S.I. 2000/2852"
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f5",
      "text": "For the definition of “Parliamentary election”, see the Interpretation Act 1978 (c.30), Schedule 1."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2006/3304/rule/2",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T04:13:11.237089+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."
}