Explanatory note

By virtue of section 31 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, ordinary general elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly are held on the first Thursday in May every four years. The predecessor Assembly must be dissolved at the start of the minimum period which ends with the date of the poll for the election and that period is determined in accordance with an Order made by the Secretary of State.

This Order makes provision for the determination of the minimum period which is to be 26 days, computed in accordance with rule 2 of the Assembly Elections Rules (which makes provision for days that are to be disregarded).