Legislation
The legislation which provides for the conduct of local government elections is The Scottish Local Government Elections Rules 2007. Where the local government elections are combined with the Scottish Parliament elections, these Rules are modified by The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc) Order 2007. Both the Rules and the Order can be found at the Legislation.gov.uk.
The Scottish Government has introduced the Scottish Local Government Elections Bill 2009 to the Scottish Parliament, which seeks to decouple future Scottish Parliamentary and Local Government Elections. Please see the page on this for more information.
Also avalible on Legislation.gov.uk is the The Scottish Local Government Elections Order 2011 which is in place for the 2012 Local Government Election.
The Electoral Commission
The Electoral Commission is an independent body that was set up by the UK Parliament in November 2000. The Commission aims to increase public confidence in the democratic process within the United Kingdom - and encourage people to take part - by modernising the electoral process, promoting public awareness of electoral matters, and regulating political parties. The Electoral Commission's website contains information for voters and candidates.
Guidance for Returning Officers and Election Office Staff
The Electoral Commission has produced the following guidance to assist Returning Officers and polling station staff to carry out their duties efficiently and effectively:
- Returning Officer's Guidance Manual
- Polling Station Handbook
Both documents are available from the Electoral Commission website at www.electoralcommission.org.uk
Code of practice for observers at local government elections
Legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament in August 2006 allows both individuals and organisations to observe proceedings at local government elections in Scotland. Details of how to be an observer at these elections can be found in the code of practice. The code closely follows the content of the code issued by the Electoral Commission for use at Parliamentary elections.