Greater London Authority Elections (Amendment) Rules 2026

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This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

Statutory Instruments

2026 No. 450

LONDON GOVERNMENT

REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE, ENGLAND

The Greater London Authority Elections (Amendment) Rules 2026

Made

21st April 2026

Laid before Parliament

23rd April 2026

Coming into force

15th May 2026

The Secretary of State makes these Rules in exercise of the powers conferred by section 36(2A) of the Representation of the People Act 1983().

The Secretary of State has consulted the Electoral Commission in accordance with section 7(1) and (2)(d) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000().

Citation, commencement, extent, saving and interpretation

1. —(1) These Rules may be cited as the Greater London Authority Elections (Amendment) Rules 2026 and come into force on 15th May 2026.

(2) These Rules extend to England and Wales only.

(3) These Rules do not apply to an Authority election for which the notice of election() is published before the day on which these Rules come into force.

(4) In paragraph (3), “ Authority election ” has the meaning given in rule 2(1) of the 2007 Rules.

(5) In these Rules, “ the 2007 Rules ” means the Greater London Authority Elections Rules 2007().

Amendment of the Greater London Authority Elections Rules 2007

1. —(1) The 2007 Rules are amended as follows.

(2) In paragraph 3 of Schedule 4, in Table 1—

(a) in the entry for CMER rule 47, LMER rule 48 and MER rule 47 (attendance at verification etc.), in the second column for the modifications to paragraph (1) substitute—

“ In paragraph (1)—

(a) for “verification” substitute “separation, verification”;

(b) for “the time” substitute “each time”;

(c) for “verify” substitute “separate, verify”. ”;

(b) in the entry “CMER rule 49 (verification and the count)”, in the second column, for substituted paragraph (4) substitute—

“ (4) After completing the proceedings under paragraph (1) or (1A), the CRO—

(a) must—

(i) mix any postal ballot papers with the ballot papers from at least one ballot box,

(ii) mix any ballot papers from a ballot box with the ballot papers from at least one other ballot box, and

(b) having done so, must count the votes given on the ballot papers used in the election in the Assembly constituency. ”;

(c) in the entry “LMER rule 50 (verification and the local count)”, in the second column, for substituted paragraph (4) substitute—

“ (4) After completing the proceedings under paragraph (1), the CRO—

(a) must—

(i) mix any postal ballot papers with the ballot papers from at least one ballot box,

(ii) mix any ballot papers from a ballot box with the ballot papers from at least one other ballot box, and

(b) having done so, must count the votes given on the ballot papers used in the election in the Assembly constituency. ”;

(d) in the entry “MER rule 49 (verification and the local count)”, in the second column, for substituted paragraph (4) substitute—

“ (4) After completing the proceedings under paragraph (1) or (1A), the CRO—

(a) must—

(i) mix any postal ballot papers with the ballot papers from at least one ballot box,

(ii) mix any ballot papers from a ballot box with the ballot papers from at least one other ballot box, and

(b) having done so, must count the votes given on the ballot papers used in the election in the Assembly constituency. ”.

(3) In paragraph 2(2) of Schedule 8, in Table 1—

(a) in the entry for CMER rule 47, LMER rule 48 and MER rule 47 (attendance at verification etc.), in the second column, before the modifications to paragraph (4) insert “In paragraphs (1)(b) and (2), for “the time” substitute “each time”.”;

(b) for the entries “CMER rule 49 (verification and the count) and LMER rule 50 (verification and the local count)” and “MER rule 49 (verification and the local count)” substitute—

| “ CMER rule 49 (verification and the count)

LMER rule 50 (verification and the local count) | In paragraph (1)(a), omit “together”.

After paragraph (1)(d) insert—

“(da) separate the ballot papers relating to the election from those relating to the other Authority elections.”.

Omit paragraph (4).

For paragraph (8) substitute—

“(8) After completing the proceedings under paragraph (1) or (2), the CRO—

(a) must—

(i) mix any postal ballot papers with the ballot papers from at least one ballot box,

(ii) mix any ballot papers from a ballot box with the ballot papers from at least one other ballot box, and

(b) having done so, must count the votes given on the ballot papers used in the election.”.

In paragraph (9), omit “cause the electronic counting system to”.

Omit paragraph (11). |
| MER rule 49 (verification and the local count) | In paragraph (1)(a), omit “together”.

After paragraph (1)(d) insert—

“(da) separate the ballot papers relating to the election from those relating to the other Authority elections.”.

Omit paragraph (4).

For paragraph (8) substitute—

“(8) After completing the proceedings under paragraph (1) or (2), the CRO—

(a) must—

(i) mix any postal ballot papers with the ballot papers from at least one ballot box,

(ii) mix any ballot papers from a ballot box with the ballot papers from at least one other ballot box, and

(b) having done so, must count the votes given on the ballot papers used in the election in the Assembly constituency.”.

In paragraph (9), omit “cause the electronic counting system to”.

Omit paragraph (11). ”. |
Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government

Samantha Dixon

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

21st April 2026

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Rules)

These Rules amend the Greater London Authority Elections Rules 2007 (S.I. 2007/3541), which contain the rules governing the conduct of elections of constituency and London members of the London Assembly and the Mayor of London.

Rule 2 of these Rules amends Schedules 4 and 8 to the Greater London Authority Elections Rules 2007, which contain modifications of the standard conduct rules in circumstances where the ballot papers used at the election are to be counted manually (instead of with the use of an electronic counting system). The amendments allow for verification and counting of ballot papers in each Assembly constituency to be undertaken in more than one location within the constituency and at different times.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sector is foreseen.

(1) 1983 c. 2. Section 36(2A) was inserted by paragraph 4(2) of Schedule 3 to the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (c. 29).

(2) 2000 c. 41.

(3) See (as the case may be) rule 5 of Schedule 1, rule 5 of Schedule 2, rule 5 of Schedule 3, rule 5 of Schedule 5, rule 5 of Schedule 6 or rule 5 of Schedule 7 to the 2007 Rules.

(4) S.I. 2007/3541, amended by S.I. 2022/1111; there are other amending instruments but none is relevant.

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