OpenLegislation

Section 115 Undue influence : local government elections in Scotland ....F1F8F9C1C2C3C4C5C6C7C8C9C10C11C12C13C14C15C16

United Kingdom

(1)

A person shall be guilty of a corrupt practice if he is guilty of undue influence F2in relation to an election in Scotland F3... under the local government Act.

(2)

A person shall be guilty of undue influence F4in relation to an election in Scotland F5... under the local government Act—

(a)

if he, directly or indirectly, by himself or by any other person on his behalf, makes use of or threatens to make use of any force, violence or restraint, or inflicts or threatens to inflict, by himself or by any other person, any temporal or spiritual injury, damage, harm or loss upon or against any person in order to induce or compel that person to vote or refrain from voting, or on account of that person having voted or refrained from voting; or

(b)

if, by abduction, duress or any fraudulent device or contrivance, he impedes or prevents F6, or intends to impede or prevent, the free exercise of the franchise of an elector or proxy for an elector, or so compels, induces or prevails upon F7, or intends so to compel, induce or prevail upon, an elector or proxy for an elector either to vote or to refrain from voting.

Annotations

Textual amendments

F1

S. 17(1) substituted (29.1.2001 for certain purposes and 16.2.2001 otherwise) by 2000 c. 2, s. 8(a), Sch. 1 para. 10; S.I. 2001/116, art. 2(1)(2) (with art. 2(4))

F2

Words in s. 115(1) inserted (1.11.2023) by Elections Act 2022 (c. 37), ss. 8(2)(a), 67(1); S.I. 2023/1145, reg. 3(a)

F3

Words in s. 115(1) omitted (W.) (18.7.2025) by virtue of Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024 (asc 5), ss. 64(3)(a), 72(4); S.I. 2025/846, art. 2

F4

Words in s. 115(2) inserted (1.11.2023) by Elections Act 2022 (c. 37), ss. 8(2)(b), 67(1); S.I. 2023/1145, reg. 3(a)

F5

Words in s. 115(2) omitted (W.) (18.7.2025) by virtue of Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024 (asc 5), ss. 64(3)(b), 72(4); S.I. 2025/846, art. 2

F6

Words in s. 115(2)(b) inserted (11.9.2006) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 39(1)(a)(2), 77 (with s. 39(2)); S.I. 2006/1972, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 6 (subject to transitional provisions in art. 4, Sch. 2)

F7

Words in s. 115(2)(b) inserted (11.9.2006) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 39(1)(b)(2), 77 (with s. 39(2)); S.I. 2006/1972, art. 3, Sch. 1 para. 6 (subject to transitional provisions in art. 4, Sch. 2)

F8

Words in s. 115 heading inserted (1.11.2023) by Elections Act 2022 (c. 37), ss. 8(2)(c), 67(1); S.I. 2023/1145, reg. 3(a)

F9

Words in s. 115 heading omitted (W.) (18.7.2025) by virtue of Elections and Elected Bodies (Wales) Act 2024 (asc 5), ss. 64(3)(c), 72(4); S.I. 2025/846, art. 2

Modifications

C1

Ss. 111–117 applied (E.W.S.) by S.I. 1986/2209, regs. 2, 3, 5(1)(6)–(8), Sch. 1 Pt. I

C2

Ss. 113-115 applied (with modifications) (31.7.1997) by 1997 c. 61, s. 3, Sch. 3 para. 13 Table 1

Ss. 113-115 applied (W.) (24.3.2004) by The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (Wales) Regulations 2004 (S.I. 2004/870), reg. 8, {Sch. 3 Table 2} (which S.I. was revoked (24.7.2008) by S.I. 2008/1848)

C3

S. 115 applied (with modifications) (2.4.2001) by S.I. 2001/1298, reg. 8, Sch. 3 Table 2

C4

S. 115 applied (with modifications) (1.8.2001) by S.I. 2001/2599, art. 3, Sch. 1 (as substituted (10.2.2009) by S.I. 2009/256, arts. 1(2), 3, Sch. 1)

C5

S. 115 applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (4.5.1996) by S.I. 1996/1220, art. 3(1)(b)(5)-(8), Sch. 1

S. 115 applied (N.I.) (25.4.1998) by S.I. 1998/1126, art. 6, Sch. 2

C6

S. 115 applied (with modifications) (31.7.1997) by 1997 c. 61, s. 3, Sch. 3 para. 13 Table 1

S. 115 applied (23.7.2004) by The Regional Assembly and Local Government Referendums Order 2004 (S.I. 2004/1962), art. 6(2), Sch. 2 Pt. 2

C7

S. 115 modified (S.) (29.1.2007) Local Electoral Administration and Registration Services (Scotland) Act 2006 (asp 14), ss. 14, 63; S.S.I. 2007/26, art. 2(1)(c)

C8

S. 115 applied (E.) (27.7.2007) by The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (England) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/2089), regs. 8, 11, 13, {Sch. 4 Table 1}

C9

S. 115 applied (with modifications) (W.) (24.7.2008) by The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums) (Wales) Regulations 2008 (S.I. 2008/1848), reg. 8, {Sch. 4 para. 1 Table 1}

C10

S. 115 applied (with modifications) (26.2.2016) by The European Union Referendum (Conduct) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/219), reg. 1, Sch. 1 para. 32 (with Sch. 1 para. 1(3))

C11

Ss. 111–117 applied (N.I.) by S.I. 1986/2250, regs. 2, 3, 5, Sch. 1 Pt. I

C12

S. 115 excluded (1.11.2023) by S.I. 1987/1, rule 6(ea)(ii) (as inserted by The Local Government and Greater London Authority Elections (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1066), regs. 1(3), 2(3))

C13

S. 115 applied (with modifications) (E.) (9.2.2012) by The Local Authorities (Conduct of Referendums)(England) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/323), reg. 1, Sch. 4 para. 1 (as amended (1.11.2023) by The Mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, Recall Petitions and Referendums (Ballot Secrecy, Candidates and Undue Influence) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1141), regs. 1(2), 5(b))

C14

S. 115 applied (with modifications) (3.8.2012) by The Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2031), regs. 1, 8, 12, 13, Sch. 4 Pt. 1 (as amended (1.11.2023) by The Mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, Recall Petitions and Referendums (Ballot Secrecy, Candidates and Undue Influence) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1141), regs. 1(2), 7(2)(b))

C15

S. 115 applied (with modifications) by The Neighbourhood Planning (Referendums) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/2031), reg. 17, Sch. 8 Table 1 (as inserted (E.W.) (6.4.2013) by S.I. 2013/798, regs. 1, 7, Sch. 3) (as amended (1.11.2023) by The Mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, Recall Petitions and Referendums (Ballot Secrecy, Candidates and Undue Influence) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1141), regs. 1(2), 7(3)(b))

C16

S. 115 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 (with reg. 27) (as amended (1.11.2023) by The Mayoral and Police and Crime Commissioner Elections, Recall Petitions and Referendums (Ballot Secrecy, Candidates and Undue Influence) Regulations 2023 (S.I. 2023/1141), regs. 1(2), 6(b))

Notes on Part II

Modifications

C1

Pt. 2 (ss. 67-119) applied with modifications (E.W.) by The Parish and Community Meetings (Polls) Rules 1987 (S.I. 1987/1), Rules, 2, 6

Pt. 2 (ss. 67-119) applied with modifications (E.W.) by The Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) Rules 1986 (S.I. 1986/2215), Rules 2, 9 (which S.I. was revoked (2.1.2007) by S.I. 2006/3305, rule 1(4), Sch. 1)

C2

Pt. 2 modified (E.W.) (25.5.2018) by The East Suffolk (Local Government Changes) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/640), arts. 1, 20(7)

C3

Pt. 2 modified (E.W.) (25.5.2018) by The West Suffolk (Local Government Changes) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/639), arts. 1, 20(7)

C4

Pt. 2 modified (E.W.) (26.5.2018) by The Somerset West and Taunton (Local Government Changes) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/649), arts. 1, 20(7)

C5

Pt. 2 modified (E.W.) (26.5.2018) by The Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole (Structural Changes) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/648), arts. 1, 24(6)

C6

Pt. 2 modified (E.W.) (26.5.2018) by The Bournemouth, Dorset and Poole (Structural Changes) Order 2018 (S.I. 2018/648), arts. 1, 39(6)

C7

Pt. 2 modified (E.W.) (23.5.2019) by The Buckinghamshire (Structural Changes) Order 2019 (S.I. 2019/957), arts. 1, 18(6)

C8

Pt. 2 modified (E.W.) (14.2.2020) by The Northamptonshire (Structural Changes) Order 2020 (S.I. 2020/156), arts. 1, 20(8)

C9

Pt. 2 modified (E.W.) (14.2.2020) by The Northamptonshire (Structural Changes) Order 2020 (S.I. 2020/156), arts. 1, 20(14)

C10

Pts. 2, 3 applied (with modifications) (W.) (17.12.2021) by The Local Elections (Communities) (Wales) Rules 2021 (S.I. 2021/1460), rules 1, 6(1) (with rule 2)

C11

Pt. 2 modified (E.W.) (2.1.2007 for certain purposes) by The Local Elections (Parishes and Communities) (England and Wales) Rules 2006 (S.I. 2006/3305), rules 1(2)(3), 6 (as amended (10.3.2022) by The Local Elections (Miscellaneous and Consequential Amendments) (Wales) Regulations 2022 (S.I. 2022/263), reg. 1(2), Sch. 2 para. 6 (with reg. 12(d)))

C12

Pts. 1, 2 modified (E.W.) (10.3.2026) by The Surrey (Structural Changes) Order 2026 (S.I. 2026/264), arts. 1(1), 47(5)(11), 49(5)(11)