[size=18]Premier Elections (Re-Opening of Nominations) Act (2017)[/size]
An Act to introduce an option to reopen nominations during Premier elections, and to amend the Constitution to facilitate the provisions of this Act.
BE IT ENACTED by Her Excellency the Grand Chancellor, by and with the advice and consent of the Regional Assembly, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
General Provisions
(1) During all Premier elections, voters shall be presented with an option to re-open nominations, styled ‘Reopen Nominations (RON)’.
(2) The re-opening of nominations option may be placed as the first or second choice, and for the purposes of section (7) of the Electoral Systems and Procedures Act (2014) (the ‘2014 Act’) shall be considered a candidate in an election.
(3) Should the re-opening of nominations option, in accordance with the 2014 Act, win an overall majority of votes, then the incumbent Premier term and campaign period shall be extended by five days, and a new election shall be held.
(4) Should no member run for office, then the incumbent Premier term and campaign period shall be extended by two days, and a new election shall be held.
(5) The Grand Chancellor shall make arrangements for the procedures in sections (3) and (4), which may be repeated as many times as required until a Premier can be elected.
(6) Members may campaign for the re-opening of nominations option, but shall be bound by sections (7) and (8) of the Electoral and Referenda Campaigns Act (2016) (the ‘2016 Act’). Any member campaigning for this option shall be considered to be a group under section (10) of the 2016 Act.
(7) This Act shall be considered to have satisfied section (3) of the Premier Appointment and Election Cancellation Order (2017) at the time first presented to the Regional Assembly.
Constitutional Amendments
(8) Section (7) of the Constitution shall be repealed and replaced with:
“(7) Elections for the Premier shall consist of a nomination period of seventy-two hours, followed by a voting period of forty-eight hours. These shall run consecutively:[list=a]- During the final five days of the Premier term;
- Following the removal of a Premier; or
- If no candidate stands or members vote to re-open nominations, as defined by law, immediately following the previous election period.
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[size=14]Explanatory note (not part of Act)[/size]
This Act introduces the ability to vote to ‘reopen nominations’ by amending the Constitution. It means that should members vote to reopen nominations, fresh elections take place.