The Police and Crime Commissioner Elections Order 2012

• Citation: S.I. 2012/1917
• Sections: 359

Section 1 Citation and commencement

(1) This Order may be cited as the Police and Crime Commissioner Elections Order 2012.

(2) This Order comes into force on the day after the day on which it is made.

Section 2 Interpretation

(1) In this Order—

“ the 1983 Act ” means the Representation of the People Act 1983 ;

“ the 2000 Act ” means the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 ;

“ the 2001 Regulations ” means Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001 ;

...

“ the 2011 Act ” means the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011;

“ the 2025 Order ” means the Senedd Cymru (Representation of the People) Order 2025;

“ absent voter ” means—

an elector who is entitled to vote by proxy, or

an elector or proxy who is entitled to vote by post;

“ anonymous elector’s document ” has the meaning given in regulation 3(1) of the Voter Identification Regulations 2022;

“ anonymous entry ” is to be read in accordance with section 9B of the Representation of the People Act 1983 ;

...

...

“ authorised person ” means a person (other than a barrister or solicitor) who, for the purposes of the Legal Services Act 2007 , is an authorised person in relation to an activity which constitutes the exercise of a right of audience (within the meaning of that Act);

“ bank holiday ” means a day which is a bank holiday under the Banking and Financial Dealings Act 1971 in England and Wales;

“ candidate ” is to be read in accordance with article 3;

“ the Commission ” means the Electoral Commission established by section 1 of the 2000 Act;

“ counting agent ” is to be read in accordance with rule 31(11) of the PCC elections rules;

“ disability ” , except in paragraph 7A of Schedule 7 , in relation to doing a thing, includes a short term inability to do it;

“ election court ” means the court constituted under Part 3 of the 1983 Act, as applied by paragraph 1 of Schedule 9, for the trial of a PCC election petition;

“ elector ”, in relation to a PCC election, means a person who has for the time being an entry on the register of electors, but does not include—

those shown in the register as below voting age on the day of the election, or

in the case of a person with an anonymous entry in the register, those shown in the record of anonymous entries as below voting age on the day of the election;

“ electoral area ” means any electoral division or ward or, in the case of a parish or community in which there are no wards, the parish or community, for which the election of councillors is held under the Local Government Act 1972 ;

“ electoral number ” means a person's number in the register of electors or, pending publication of the register, the person's number (if any) in the electors lists for that register;

“left behind postal voting document” is a postal voting document that is left behind at a polling station or left for the returning officer without being handed in and for which no return of postal voting documents form has been completed;

“ legal incapacity ” includes (in addition, where applicable, to any incapacity arising by virtue of a subsisting provision of the common law) any disqualification imposed by this Order or any other enactment;

“ legal process ” means a claim form, application notice, writ, summons or other process;

“ the list of proxies ” means a list kept under paragraph 4(3) of Schedule 2;

“ local authority ” means—

a district council,

a county council in England for a county in which there are no district councils,

the Council of the Isles of Scilly,

a county council or county borough council in Wales;

“ local government election ” means the election of councillors for any electoral area;

“ local referendum ” means—

a referendum in England under Part 1A of the Local Government Act 2000 (local authority governance in England);

a referendum in Wales under Part 2 of the Local Government Act 2000 (local authorities in Wales: arrangements with respect to executives etc);

a referendum in England under Chapter 4ZA of Part 1 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 (council tax increases);

“ local returning officer ” means a person who, by virtue of section 35 of the 1983 Act, is a returning officer for any elections of members of a local authority (but see paragraph (2B)(b)) ;

...

“ nominating officer ” means the person registered under the 2000 Act as the officer with responsibility for the matters referred to in section 24(3) of that Act in respect of a registered party;

“ PCC election ” means an election of a police and crime commissioner in accordance with Chapter 6 of Part 1 of the 2011 Act;

“ PCC election petition ” means a petition presented in pursuance of Part 3 of the 1983 Act as applied by paragraph 1 of Schedule 9;

“ PCC elections rules ” has the meaning given in article 12;

“ person ” includes (without prejudice to the provisions of the Interpretation Act 1978 ) an association corporate or unincorporate;

“ police area ” means a police area listed in Schedule 1 to the Police Act 1996 (police areas outside London);

“ police area returning officer ”, in relation to any police area, means the person designated by an Order made by virtue of section 54(1)(b) of the 2011 Act as the returning officer for that police area;

“ polling agent ” is to be read in accordance with rule 31(11) of the PCC elections rules;

“ postal ballot paper ” means a ballot paper issued to a postal voter;

“ postal proxy ” means a person who is entitled to vote by post as proxy at a PCC election;

“ postal voter ” means an elector or proxy who is entitled to vote by post;

“ postal voters list ” means a list kept under paragraph 4(2) of Schedule 2;

“ postal voting document ” means a postal ballot paper, postal voting statement or other document that has been issued to a person for the purpose of enabling the person to vote by post at a PCC election;

“ presiding officer ” is to be read in accordance with rule 27 of the PCC elections rules;

“ proxy postal voters list ” means a list kept under paragraph 7(7) of Schedule 2;

“ record of anonymous entries ” means the record prepared in pursuance of regulations made by virtue of paragraph 8A of Schedule 2 to the 1983 Act ;

“register of electors” means—

in relation to a PCC election in England the register of local government electors;

in relation to a PCC election in Wales—

the register of parliamentary electors, excluding any entry included in pursuance of an overseas elector’s declaration; and

in the case of peers disqualified from voting as an elector at parliamentary elections and qualifying EU citizens and EU citizens with retained rights who will have attained the age of 18 on the date of the poll, the register of local government electors;

“ registered party ” means a party registered under Part 2 of the 2000 Act;

“ registration officer ” means an electoral registration officer;

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

“ relevant officer ” means—

where a postal voting document is handed in at a polling station—

the person presiding at the polling station, or

a clerk at the polling station;

where a postal voting document is handed in to the local returning officer, a person acting under the authority of that officer;

“ relevant registration officer ”, in relation to voting area, means the registration officer of the local authority in whose area that voting area is situated;

“ return of postal voting documents form ” has the meaning given in paragraph 43A of Schedule 2;

“ Senedd election ” means an election to return a member of the Senedd Cymru for a Senedd constituency or an election to return members of the Senedd for a Senedd electoral region (or both);

“ service declaration ” means a declaration made by a person under and in accordance with section 15 of the 1983 Act (service declaration);

“ temporary electoral identity document ” has the meaning given in regulation 3(1) of the Voter Identification Regulations 2022;

“ voter ” means a voter voting in the PCC election and includes a person voting as proxy and “vote” (whether noun or verb) is to be construed accordingly; and a reference to an elector voting or an elector's vote includes a reference to an elector voting by proxy or an elector's vote given by proxy;

“ voting area ” has the meaning given by paragraph (2) or, where it applies, paragraph (2B) .

(2) Subject to paragraphs (2A) and (2B)(a), each of the following, as it exists on the day of a PCC election, is a “ voting area ” for the purposes of this Order—

(a) a district for which there is a district Council,

(b) a county in England in which there are no districts with councils,

(c) the Isles of Scilly,

(d) a county or county borough in Wales.

(2A) Paragraph (2B) applies where the poll at a PCC election is required to be taken together with the poll at a Senedd election by virtue of article 16(1) of the 2025 Order .

(2B) At an election mentioned in paragraph (2A)—

(a) a Senedd constituency as it exists on the day of the PCC election (and not a county or county borough) is a voting area for the purposes of this Order;

(b) a reference in this Order to the local returning officer for a voting area is a reference to the local returning officer exercising functions in relation to that voting area pursuant to regulation 2A of the Police and Crime Commissioner Elections (Functions of Returning Officers) Regulations 2012; and

(c) the definition of “relevant registration officer” has effect as if at the end there were inserted “(but where a voting area comprises any part of the area of more than one local authority, the registration officer of the local authority in whose area the greater or greatest (as the case may be) number of electors is registered)”.

(2C) In paragraph (2B)(a) “ Senedd ” means a Senedd constituency as provided by section 2 of the Government of Wales Act 2006 ( Senedd constituencies and electoral regions).

(3) For the purposes of this Order a person is deemed not to have attained a given age until the commencement of the relevant anniversary of the day of the person's birth.

Section 3 Meaning of “candidate”

(1) References to a candidate in this Order are to be construed in accordance with this article (except where the context otherwise requires).

(2) A person becomes a candidate at a PCC election—

(a) on the last day for publication of notice of the election if on or before that day the person is declared by himself or herself or by others to be a candidate at the election, and

(b) otherwise, on the day on which the person is so declared by himself or herself or by others or on which the person is nominated as a candidate at the election (whichever is the earlier).

Section 3A Procedure for reviewing voter eligibility in PCC election in Wales

Schedule A1 (procedure for reviewing voter eligibility to vote in PCC elections in Wales) has effect in relation to PCC elections in Wales.

Section 4 Effect of register of electors

(1) Any entry in the register of electors, if it gives a date as that on which the person named will attain voting age, is conclusive for any purpose of this Part relating to that person as elector that until the date given in the entry the person is not of voting age nor entitled to be treated as an elector except for the purposes of a PCC election at which the day fixed for the poll is that or a later date.

(2) Paragraph (1) applies to an entry in the record of anonymous entries as it applies to an entry in the register of electors.

(3) A person registered in the register of electors, or entered in the list of proxies, is not excluded from voting at a PCC election on any of the grounds specified in paragraph (4): but this does not prevent the rejection of the vote on a scrutiny, or affect the person's liability to any penalty for voting.

(4) The grounds are—

(a) that the person is not of voting age;

(b) that the person is not or was not at any particular time —

(i) a Commonwealth citizen,

(ii) a citizen of the Republic of Ireland,

(iii) a qualifying EU citizen or an EU citizen with retained rights;

(c) that the person is or was at any particular time otherwise subject to any other legal incapacity to vote.

(5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 5 Effect of misdescription

(1) No misnomer or inaccurate description of any person or place named—

(a) in the register of electors, or

(b) in any list, record, proxy paper, nomination paper, ballot paper, notice or other document required for the purposes of this Order,

affects the full operation of the document with respect to that person or place in any case where the description of the person or place is such as to be commonly understood.

Section 6 Discharge of registration duties

(1) A registration officer must comply with any general or special directions which may be given by the Secretary of State with respect to the arrangements to be made by the registration officer for carrying out the officer's functions under this Order.

(2) The Secretary of State may give a direction under this article only if it is in accordance with a recommendation of the Commission.

(3) Any of the duties and powers of a registration officer under this Order may be performed and exercised by any deputy for the time being approved by the local authority which appointed the registration officer, and the provisions of this Order apply to any such deputy so far as respects any duties or powers to be performed or exercised by the deputy as they apply to the registration officer.

(4) Any acts authorised or required to be done by or with respect to the registration officer under this Order may, in the event of the officer's incapacity to act or of a vacancy, be done by or with respect to the proper officer of the local authority by which the registration officer was appointed.

(5) Each local authority must place the services of such of its officers as are required at the disposal of a registration officer on whom functions are conferred by this Order for the purpose of assisting the registration officer in the discharge of those functions.

(6) “ Proper officer ” means a proper officer within the meaning of section 270(3) of the Local Government Act 1972 .

Section 7 Payment of expenses of registration

(1) Any expenses properly incurred by a registration officer in the performance of the officer's functions under this Order are to be paid by the local authority by which the registration officer was appointed.

(2) Such expenses are referred to in paragraph (4) as “registration expenses”.

(3) Any fees paid to the registration officer under this Order must be accounted for by the officer and paid to the local authority by which the officer was appointed.

(4) On the request of a registration officer for an advance on account of registration expenses, the local authority by which the registration officer was appointed may, if they think fit, make such an advance to the officer of such an amount and subject to such conditions as they may approve.

Section 8 Effect of registration appeals

(1) An appeal to the county court or Court of Appeal by virtue of a relevant provision which is pending when notice of a PCC election is given does not prejudice the operation as respects the election of the decision appealed against, and anything done in pursuance of the decision is as good as if no such appeal had been brought and is not affected by the decision of the appeal.

(2) Where, as a result of the decision on an appeal by virtue of section 56 of the 1983 Act, an alteration in the register of electors takes effect under section 13(5), 13A(2) , 13AB(2) or 13B(3) or (3B) of the 1983 Act (effective dates of register following conclusion of canvass and notices of alterations of register) on or before the date of the poll for a PCC election, paragraph (1) does not apply to that appeal as respects that election.

(3) “ Relevant provision ” means—

(a) section 56 of the 1983 Act;

(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 9 Supply of register of electors

Schedule 1 (which makes provision about the supply of the register of electors) has effect.

Section 10 Polling districts and places at PCC elections

(1) For the purpose of PCC elections every police area is to be divided into polling districts.

(2) The power to constitute polling districts for the purpose of PCC elections is to be exercised in relation to each police area so that electors from any parliamentary polling district wholly or partly within a relevant voting area can, in the absence of special circumstances, be allotted to a polling station within the parliamentary polling place for that district unless the parliamentary polling place is outside the voting area.

(3) In paragraph (2), the reference to a relevant voting area is to a voting area wholly or partly comprised in the police area.

(4) An election is not to be questioned by reason of—

(a) any non-compliance with paragraph (1) or (2), or

(b) any irregularity relating to polling districts or polling places.

Section 11 Manner of voting at PCC elections

(1) Schedule 2 (which makes provision with respect to the manner of voting at PCC elections, and in particular absent voting) has effect as regards PCC elections.

(2) For the purposes of Schedule 2, where the day or last day of the time allowed by this Order for the doing of anything falls on a day which is—

(a) a Saturday or Sunday,

(b) Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Good Friday or a bank holiday, or

(c) a day appointed for public thanksgiving or mourning,

that time is to be extended until the next following day which is not one of those days.

(3) Subject to paragraph 16(5) and 59(6) of Schedule 2, in computing any period of not more than 7 days for the purposes of that Schedule any day referred to in paragraph (2)(a) or (b) is to be disregarded.

Section 12 Conduct of PCC elections

(1) Elections of police and crime commissioners for police areas must be conducted in accordance with the rules set out in Parts 1 to 7 of Schedule 3 (“PCC elections rules”).

(2) Part 8 of Schedule 3 (forms and directions) has effect for the purposes of those rules.

Section 13 Combination of polls

(1) In this article, “ relevant election or referendum ” means one or more of the following elections or referendums—

(a) a parliamentary election,

(b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(c) a local government election in England or Wales,

(d) an election in England for the return of an elected mayor as defined by section 9H(1) of the Local Government Act 2000 ,

(e) an election in Wales for the return of an elected mayor as defined by section 39(1) of the Local Government Act 2000,

(ea) an election in England for the return of a mayor as provided for in an order made under section 107A of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 or in regulations made under section 27 of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 ,

(f) a local referendum.

(2) Parts 1 and 2 of Schedule 4 contain provision for polls at a PCC election to be taken together with polls at one or more relevant elections or referendums.

(3) Where the poll at a PCC election is taken together with the poll at one or more relevant elections or referendums, the PCC elections rules have effect with the modifications set out in Part 3 of Schedule 4.

(4) Part 4 of Schedule 4 (forms and directions) has effect for the purposes of those modified PCC elections rules.

Section 13A Combination of polls: Senedd Cymru

Where the poll at a PCC election is to be taken together with the poll at a Senedd election under article 16 of the 2025 Order , the modifications to the PCC elections rules set out in Part 3, and the forms in Part 4, of Schedule 4 have effect subject to the modifications and exceptions set out in Part 5 of that Schedule.

Section 14 Further provision about persons involved in conduct of PCC elections

(1) No person is subject to any incapacity to vote at a PCC election by reason of that person being or acting as police area returning officer or local returning officer.

(2) A PCC election is not to be questioned by reason of a defect in the title, or want of title, of the person presiding at or conducting the election, if that person was then in actual possession of, or acting in, the office giving the right to preside at or conduct the election.

Section 15 Validity of PCC election

No PCC election may be declared invalid by reason of any act or omission by any police area returning officer, local returning officer or other person in breach of his or her official duty in connection with the election or otherwise of the PCC elections rules if it appears to the tribunal having cognizance of the question that—

(a) the election was so conducted as to be substantially in accordance with the law as to PCC elections, and

(b) the act or omission did not affect the result.

Section 16 Loan of equipment for PCC elections

(1) Any ballot boxes, fittings and compartments provided for parliamentary elections out of moneys provided by Parliament, may, on request, be lent to a local returning officer at a PCC election on such terms and conditions as the Secretary of State may determine.

(2) Any ballot boxes, fittings and compartments provided by or belonging to a local authority within the meaning of the Local Government Act 1972 must, on request, and if not required for immediate use by that authority, be lent to a local returning officer at a PCC election on such terms and conditions as may be agreed.

Section 17 Personation

(1) A person is guilty of a corrupt practice if the person commits, or aids, abets, counsels or procures the commission of, the offence of personation.

(2) A person (“P”) is deemed guilty of personation at a PCC election if P—

(a) votes in person or by post as some other person, whether as an elector or as proxy, and whether that other person is living or dead or is a fictitious person, or

(b) votes in person or by post as proxy—

(i) for a person whom P knows or has reasonable grounds for supposing to be dead or to be a fictitious person, or

(ii) when P knows or has reasonable grounds for supposing that P's appointment as proxy is no longer in force.

(3) For the purposes of this article, a person who has applied for a ballot paper for the purpose of voting in person or who has marked, whether validly or not, and returned a ballot paper issued for the purpose of voting by post, is deemed to have voted.

(4) Section 24A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (arrest without warrant: other persons) does not permit a person other than a constable to arrest, inside a polling station, a person who commits or is suspected of committing an offence under the preceding provisions of this article.

Section 18 Other voting offences

(1) A person (“P”) is guilty of an offence if—

(a) P votes in person or by post, whether as an elector or as proxy, or applies to vote by proxy or by post as elector, at a PCC election or at PCC elections, knowing that P is subject to a legal incapacity to vote at the election or, as the case may be, the elections, or

(b) P applies for the appointment of a proxy to vote for P at a PCC election or at PCC elections knowing that P is or the person to be appointed is subject to a legal incapacity to vote at any such election or elections, or

(c) P votes, whether in person or by post, as proxy for some other person at a PCC election, knowing that that person is subject to a legal incapacity to vote.

For the purposes of this paragraph, references to a person being subject to a legal incapacity to vote do not, in relation to things done before polling day at the election or first election at or for which they are done, include the person being below voting age if the person will be of voting age on that day.

(1A) A person (“ P ”) is guilty of an offence if P applies for the appointment of a proxy to vote for P—

(a) at a PCC election, where P knows that the person to be appointed as a proxy to vote at that election, or at PCC elections, for four or more other electors;

(b) at a PCC election, where—

(i) P is or will be registered in a register of electors otherwise than in pursuance of a service declaration, and

(ii) P knows that the person to be appointed is already appointed as a proxy to vote at that election, or at PCC elections, for two or more other electors, none of whom is registered in a register of PCC electors in pursuance of a service declaration.

(2) A person (“P”) is guilty of an offence if—

(a) P votes as elector otherwise than by proxy either—

(i) more than once in the same police area at any PCC election, or

(ii) in any police area at a PCC election when there is in force an appointment of a person to vote as P's proxy at the election in respect of an address in the same police area which is other than the address by virtue of which P votes as elector, or

(b) P votes as elector in person in any police area at a PCC election at which P is entitled to vote by post in the same police area, or

(c) P votes as elector in person in any police area at a PCC election, knowing that a person appointed to vote in the same police area as P's proxy at the election either has already voted in person at the election or is entitled to vote by post at the election.

(3) A person (“P”) is guilty of an offence if—

(a) P votes as proxy for the same elector more than once in the same police area at any PCC election, or

(b) P votes in person as proxy for an elector at a PCC election at which P is entitled to vote by post as proxy for that elector, or

(c) P votes in person as proxy for an elector at a PCC election knowing that the elector has already voted in person at the election.

(4) A person (“ P ”) is also guilty of an offence if P votes as a proxy—

(a) for more than four electors—

(i) at a PCC election;

(ii) where the polls for two or more PCC elections are held on the same day, at those elections taken together;

(b) for more than two electors—

(i) at a PCC election,

(ii) where the polls for two or more PCC elections are held on the same day, at those elections taken together,

where P knows that more than two of those electors are registered in a register of electors otherwise than in pursuance of a service declaration.

(5) A person is also guilty of an offence if the person knowingly induces or procures some other person to do an act which is, or but for that other person's want of knowledge would be, an offence by that other person under any of paragraphs (1) to (4).

(6) For the purposes of this article, a person who has applied for a ballot paper for the purpose of voting in person, or who has marked, whether validly or not, and returned a ballot paper issued for the purpose of voting by post, is deemed to have voted, but for the purpose of determining whether an application for a ballot paper constitutes an offence under paragraph (4), a previous application made in circumstances which entitle the applicant only to mark a tendered ballot paper is to be disregarded, if the person does not exercise that right.

(6A) For the purpose of determining whether an application for a ballot paper constitutes an offence under paragraph (2)(a) or (3)(a), a previous application is to be disregarded if the applicant’s failure to vote on that occasion resulted only from a failure to produce satisfactory proof of identity.

(7) A person is not guilty of an offence under paragraph (2)(b) or (3)(b) only by reason of the person having marked a tendered ballot paper in pursuance of case 3, 4, 5 or 6 of rule 42 of the PCC elections rules.

(8) An offence under this article is an illegal practice, but—

(a) the court before which a person is convicted of any such offence may, if it thinks it just in the special circumstances of the case, mitigate or entirely remit any incapacity imposed by virtue of section 173 of the 1983 Act (read with article 77) (incapacities on conviction of corrupt or illegal practices), and

(b) a candidate is not liable, nor shall the candidate's election be avoided, for an illegal practice under this article of any agent of the candidate other than an offence under paragraph (5).

Section 18A Influencing voters at polling booths

(1) A person who—

(a) is with another person at a polling booth, and

(b) intends to influence that other person to vote in a particular way or to refrain from voting,

commits an offence.

(2) A person who—

(a) is near a polling booth when another person is at that booth, and

(b) intends to influence that other person to vote in a particular way or to refrain from voting,

commits an offence.

(3) For the purposes of this article—

(a) a “polling booth” is a compartment in a polling station in which voters can mark votes screened from observation;

(b) assisting a person with voting, in accordance with rule 41 of Schedule 3 or any other legislation, is not influencing that person to vote in a particular way or to refrain from voting;

(c) a person may be near one polling booth while at a different polling booth.

(4) A person who commits an offence under this article is liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, to a fine or to both.

Section 19 Breach of official duty

(1) If a person to whom this article applies is, without reasonable cause, guilty of any act or omission in breach of the person's official duty, the person is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.

(2) No person to whom this article applies is liable for breach of his or her official duty to any penalty at common law and no action for damages lies in respect of the breach by such a person of the person's official duty.

(3) The persons to whom this article applies are—

(a) any registration officer, police area returning officer, local returning officer or presiding officer,

(b) any other person whose duty it is to be responsible after a PCC election for the used ballot papers and other documents (including returns and declarations as to expenses),

(c) any deputy of a person mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) or (b),

(d) any person appointed to assist or in the course of employment assisting a person mentioned in any of sub-paragraphs (a) to (c) in connection with that person's official duties;

and for the purposes of this article “ official duty ” is to be construed accordingly, but does not include duties imposed otherwise than by the law relating to PCC elections or the registration of local government electors.

(4) Where a police area returning officer or a local returning officer for a PCC election—

(a) is guilty of an act or omission in breach of the officer's official duty, but

(b) remedies that act or omission in full by taking steps under regulation 6 of the Police and Crime Commissioner Elections (Functions of Returning Officers) Regulations 2012 (correction of procedural errors),

the officer is not guilty of an offence under paragraph (1).

(5) Paragraph (4) does not affect any conviction which takes place, or any penalty which is imposed, before the date on which the act or omission is remedied in full.

Section 20 Tampering with nomination papers, ballot papers etc

(1) A person is guilty of an offence, if, at a PCC election, the person—

(a) fraudulently defaces or fraudulently destroys any nomination paper, or

(b) fraudulently defaces or fraudulently destroys any ballot paper, or the official mark on any ballot paper, or any postal voting statement or official envelope used in connection with voting by post, or

(c) without due authority supplies any ballot paper to any person, or

(d) fraudulently puts into any ballot box any paper other than the ballot paper which the person is authorised by law to put in, or

(e) fraudulently takes out of the polling station any ballot paper, or

(f) without due authority destroys, takes, opens or otherwise interferes with any ballot box or packet of ballot papers then in use for the purposes of the PCC election, or

(g) fraudulently or without due authority, as the case may be, attempts to do any of the foregoing acts.

(2) If a police area returning officer, a local returning officer, a presiding officer or a clerk appointed to assist in taking the poll, counting the votes or assisting at the proceedings in connection with the issue or receipt of postal ballot papers is guilty of an offence under this article, the officer or clerk is liable—

(a) on conviction on indictment to a fine, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 2 years, or to both;

(b) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or to both.

(3) If any other person is guilty of an offence under this article, that person is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or to both.

Section 21 False statements in nomination papers etc

(1) A person is guilty of a corrupt practice if, at a PCC election, the person causes or permits to be included in a document delivered or otherwise furnished to a police area returning officer or a local returning officer for use in connection with the election—

(a) a statement of the name or home address of a candidate at the PCC election which the person knows to be false in any particular, or

(b) a statement under rule 5(7)(b) of the PCC elections rules which the person knows to be false in any particular, or

(c) anything which purports to be the signature of an elector who proposes, seconds or assents to, the nomination of a candidate at the PCC election but which the person knows—

(i) was not written by the elector by whom it purports to have been written, or

(ii) if written by that elector, was not written for the purpose of signifying that the person was proposing, seconding, or (as the case may be) assenting to, that candidate's nomination, or

(d) a certificate authorising for the purposes of rule 6 of the PCC elections rules (nomination papers: name of registered political party) the use by a candidate of a description if the person knows that the candidate has been nominated as a candidate for election as a police and crime commissioner for any other police area for which the poll is to be held on the same day as the poll at the PCC election to which the certificate relates.

(2) A person is guilty of a corrupt practice if, at a PCC election, the person makes in any document in which the person consents to his or her nomination as a candidate—

(a) a statement of the person's date of birth,

(b) a statement as to the person's qualification for being elected at that election, or

(c) a statement that the person is not a candidate at an election for any other police area the poll for which is to be held on the same day as the poll at the election to which the consent relates,

which the person knows to be false in any particular.

(3) For the purposes of paragraph (2), a statement as to a candidate's qualification is a statement—

(a) that the candidate is qualified for being elected,

(b) that the candidate will be qualified for being elected, or

(c) that to the best of the candidate's knowledge and belief the candidate is not disqualified for being elected.

Section 22 Requirement of secrecy

(1) The persons listed in paragraph (2) must maintain and aid in maintaining the secrecy of voting and must not, except for some purpose authorised by law, communicate to any person before the poll is closed any information as to—

(a) the name of any elector or proxy for an elector who has or has not applied for a ballot paper or voted at a polling station,

(b) the number on the register of electors of any elector who, or whose proxy, has or has not applied for a ballot paper or voted at a polling station, or

(c) the official mark on any ballot paper.

(2) The listed persons are—

(a) every police area returning officer or local returning officer attending at a polling station,

(b) every deputy of such an officer so attending,

(c) every presiding officer or clerk so attending,

(d) every candidate or election agent or polling agent so attending, and

(e) every person so attending by virtue of any of sections 6A to 6D of the 2000 Act (which makes provision about the attendance at certain elections of Commission representatives and accredited observers).

(3) Every person attending at the verification of the ballot paper accounts or the counting of the votes must maintain and aid in maintaining the secrecy of voting and must not—

(a) ascertain or attempt to ascertain at the counting of the votes the number or other unique identifying mark on the back of any ballot paper;

(b) communicate any information obtained at the counting of the votes as to the candidate for whom any vote is given on any particular ballot paper.

(4) No person attending at the verification of the ballot paper accounts may express to any person an opinion based on information obtained at that verification as to the likely result of the election.

(5) No person may—

(a) interfere with or attempt to interfere with a voter when recording his vote;

(b) otherwise obtain or attempt to obtain in a polling station information as to the candidate for whom a voter in that station is about to vote or has voted;

(c) communicate at any time to any person any information obtained in a polling station as to the candidate for whom a voter in that station is about to vote or has voted, or as to the number or other unique identifying mark on the back of the ballot paper given to a voter at that station;

(d) directly or indirectly induce a voter to display the ballot paper after the voter has marked it so as to make known to any person the name of the candidate for whom the voter has or has not voted.

(5A) No person may—

(a) except for some purpose authorised by law, obtain or attempt to obtain information, or communicate at any time to any other person any information, as to the number or other unique identifying mark on the back of a ballot paper sent to a person for voting by post at a PCC election;

(b) except for some purpose authorised by law, obtain or attempt to obtain information, or communicate at any time to any other person any information, as to the official mark on a ballot paper sent to a person for voting by post at a PCC election;

(c) obtain or attempt to obtain information, in the circumstances mentioned in paragraph (5B), as to the candidate for whom a person voting by post at a PCC election (“ V ”) is about to vote or has voted;

(d) communicate at any time to any other person information obtained in contravention of sub-paragraph (c).

(5B) The circumstances referred to in paragraph (5A)(c) are where V is about to mark, is in the process of marking, or has just marked, a ballot paper sent to V for voting by post at the election.

(5C) But—

(a) a person (“ E ”) who is voting by proxy does not contravene paragraph (5A) by obtaining or attempting to obtain from the person appointed as E’s proxy information as to a matter mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) or (c) of that paragraph that relates to E’s vote, and

(b) a person who is appointed as proxy for an elector does not contravene paragraph (5A) by communicating to that elector information as to a matter mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) or (c) of that paragraph that relates to that elector’s vote.

(5D) Paragraphs (5A)(c) and (d) do not apply where the purpose (or main purpose) for which the information is sought or communicated is its use for the purposes of—

(a) a published statement relating to the way in which voters intend to vote or have voted at the PCC election, or

(b) a published forecast as to the result of that election which is based on information given by voters.

(5E) In paragraph (5D)—

(a) “ forecast ” includes estimate;

(b) “ published ” means made available to the public at large or to any section of the public, in whatever form and by whatever means;

(c) the reference to the result of the PCC election is a reference to the result of the election either as a whole or so far as any particular candidate or candidates at the election is or are concerned.

(5F) A person voting as proxy for an elector at a PCC election—

(a) must not communicate at any time to any person other than that elector any information as to the candidate for whom the person is about to vote, or has voted, as proxy for that elector;

(b) except for some purpose authorised by law, must not communicate at any time to any person other than that elector the number or other unique identifying mark on the back of a ballot paper sent or delivered to the person for voting as proxy for that elector.

(6) Every person attending the proceedings in connection with the issue or the receipt of ballot papers for persons voting by post must maintain and aid in maintaining the secrecy of the voting and must not—

(a) except for some purpose authorised by law, communicate, before the poll is closed, to any person any information obtained at those proceedings as to the official mark;

(b) except for some purpose authorised by law, communicate to any person at any time any information obtained at those proceedings as to the number or other unique identifying mark on the back of the ballot paper sent to any person;

(c) except for some purpose authorised by law, attempt to ascertain at the proceedings in connection with the receipt of ballot papers the number or other unique identifying mark on the back of any ballot paper;

(d) attempt to ascertain at the proceedings in connection with the receipt of the ballot papers the candidate for whom any vote is given in any particular ballot paper or communicate any information with respect thereto obtained at those proceedings.

(7) No person having undertaken to assist a voter with disabilities (within the meaning of rule 41(10) of the PCC elections rules) to vote may communicate at any time to any person any information as to the candidate for whom that voter intends to vote or has voted, or as to the number or other unique identifying mark on the back of the ballot paper given for the use of that voter.

(8) A person who acts in contravention of this article is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months.

Section 23 Prohibition on publication of exit polls

(1) No person may in the case of a PCC election publish before the poll is closed—

(a) any statement relating to the way in which voters have voted at the election where that statement is (or might reasonably be taken to be) based on information given by voters after they have voted, or

(b) any forecast as to the result of the election which is (or might reasonably be taken to be) based on information so given.

(2) A person who acts in contravention of paragraph (1) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months.

(3) In this article—

“ forecast ” includes estimate;

“ publish ” means make available to the public at large, or any section of the public, in whatever form and by whatever means;

and any reference to the result of an election is a reference to the result of the election either as a whole or so far as any particular candidate or candidates at the election is or are concerned.

Section 24 Amendment of Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000

(1) The 2000 Act is amended as follows.

(2) In section 22 (parties to be registered in order to field candidates at elections)—

(a) in subsection (2)(a), after “constituency,” insert “ police area, ” ;

(b) in subsection (5), after paragraph (e), insert—

(ea) elections of police and crime commissioners,

(3) In section 67 (weekly donation reports in connection with elections other than general elections), in subsection (2)(b)—

(a) omit “or” at the end of sub-paragraph (iii);

(b) after sub-paragraph (iv) insert—

or

(v) an election of a police and crime commissioner.

(4) In Schedule 7 (control of donations to individuals and members associations)—

(a) in paragraph 1(8) (definition of “relevant elective office”), after paragraph (e) insert—

(ea) police and crime commissioner;

(b) in paragraph 15A(1) (donations to holders of certain elective offices) , after “relevant elective office” insert “ , other than a police and crime commissioner ” .

Section 25 Amendment of section 62 of the Electoral Administration Act 2006

(1) Section 62 of the Electoral Administration Act 2006 (regulation of loans: power to make provision for candidates, third parties and referendums) is amended as follows.

(2) In subsection (2)(a), for “an election” substitute “ a relevant election ” .

(3) In subsection (8)—

(a) for the definition of “candidate” substitute—

“candidate”—

in relation to a police and crime commissioner election, is to be construed in accordance with subsection (8A), and

in relation to any other relevant election, has the same meaning as in Part 2 of the 1983 Act;

(b) omit the definition of “election”;

(c) after the definition of “permitted participant” insert—

“ police and crime commissioner election ” means an election of a police and crime commissioner in accordance with Chapter 6 of Part 1 of the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 ;

“ relevant election ” means—

an election within the meaning of the 1983 Act, or

a police and crime commissioner election.

(4) After subsection (8) insert—

(8A) For the purposes of this section, a person becomes a candidate at a police and crime commissioner election—

(a) on the last day for publication of notice of the election if on or before that day the person is declared by himself or herself or by others to be a candidate at the election, and

(b) otherwise, on the day on which the person is so declared by himself or herself or by others or on which the person is nominated as a candidate at the election (whichever is the earlier).

Section 26 Appointment of election agent

(1) Not later than the latest time for the delivery of notices of withdrawals of candidature for a PCC election—

(a) a person must be named by or on behalf of each candidate as the candidate's election agent, and

(b) the name and address of the candidate's election agent must be declared in writing by the candidate or some other person on the candidate's behalf to the police area returning officer.

(2) A candidate may name himself or herself as election agent.

(3) A candidate who names himself or herself as election agent is, so far as circumstances admit, subject to the provisions of this Order both as a candidate and as an election agent, and, except where the context otherwise requires, any reference in this Order to an election agent is to be construed as referring to the candidate acting in the capacity of election agent.

(4) One election agent only may be appointed for each candidate, but the appointment (whether the candidate appointed himself or herself as election agent or not) may be revoked.

(5) If whether before, during or after the PCC election the appointment (or deemed appointment) of an election agent is revoked or an election agent dies—

(a) another election agent must be appointed forthwith, and

(b) the name and address of the election agent appointed must be declared in writing to the police area returning officer.

(6) The declaration as a candidate's election agent of a person other than the candidate is of no effect under this article unless it is made and signed by that person or is accompanied by a written declaration of acceptance signed by that person.

(7) Upon the name and address of an election agent being declared to the police area returning officer, the officer must forthwith give public notice of the name and address and must forward it to the local returning officer for each voting area wholly or partly comprised in the police area.

Section 27 Nomination of sub-agent

(1) An election agent for a candidate at a PCC election may appoint to act in any part of the police area one, but not more than one, deputy election agent (in this Order referred to as a “ sub-agent ”).

(2) As regards matters in a part of the police area for which there is a sub-agent the election agent may act by the sub-agent and—

(a) anything done for the purposes of this Order by or to the sub-agent in the part of the police area for which the sub-agent acts is deemed by virtue of this sub-paragraph to be done by or to the election agent, and

(b) any act or default of a sub-agent which, if the sub-agent were the election agent, would be an illegal practice or other offence against this Order is an illegal practice and offence against this Order committed by the sub-agent, and the sub-agent is liable to punishment accordingly, and

(c) the candidate is to suffer the like incapacity as if that act or default had been the election agent's act or default.

(3) Not later than the fifth day before the day of the poll the election agent must declare in writing the name and address of every sub-agent to the police area returning officer.

(4) The appointment of a sub-agent—

(a) is not vacated by the election agent who appointed the sub-agent ceasing to be election agent, but

(b) may be revoked by whoever is for the time being the candidate's election agent,

and in the event of the revocation of the appointment or of the death of a sub-agent another sub-agent may be appointed, and that sub-agent's name and address must forthwith be declared in writing to the police area returning officer.

(5) Upon the name and address of a sub-agent being declared to the police area returning officer under paragraph (3) or (4), the officer must forthwith give public notice of the name and address and must forward it to the local returning officer for each voting area wholly or partly comprised in the police area.

(6) The declaration to be made to the police area returning officer under paragraph (3) or (4), and the public notice to be given by the officer under paragraph (5), must specify the part of the police area within which the sub-agent is appointed to act.

Section 28 Office of election agent and sub-agent

(1) Every election agent and every sub-agent must have an office to which all claims, notices, legal process and other documents may be sent.

(2) The address of the office must be—

(a) declared to the police area returning officer at the same time as the appointment of the agent is declared to the officer,

(b) stated in the public notice of the name of the agent, and

(c) forwarded by the officer to the local returning officer for each voting area wholly or partly comprised in the police area.

(3) The office of the election agent must be within the police area.

(4) The office of a sub-agent must be in the area within which the sub-agent is appointed to act.

(5) Any claim, notice, legal process or other document delivered at the office of a person who is the election agent or sub-agent and addressed to that person, is deemed to have been served on that person.

(6) The person who is acting as agent or sub-agent in a PCC election may in respect of any matter connected with the election be sued in any court having jurisdiction at the place where the person's office is situated.

Section 29 Effect of default of election agent's appointment

(1) If no person's name and address is given as required by article 26 as the election agent of a candidate who remains validly nominated at the latest time for delivery of notices of withdrawals, the candidate is deemed at that time to be appointed as election agent and any appointment of another person as the candidate's election agent is revoked by virtue of this paragraph.

(2) If—

(a) the person (not being the candidate) whose name and address have been so given as those of the candidate's election agent dies, and

(b) a new appointment is not made on the day of the death or on the following day,

the candidate is deemed to be appointed as election agent as from the time of death.

(3) If the appointment of a candidate's election agent is revoked without a new appointment being made, the candidate is deemed to be appointed (or re-appointed) as election agent.

(4) The deemed appointment of a candidate as the candidate's own election agent may be revoked as if it were an actual appointment.

(5) Where a candidate is by virtue of this article to be treated as the candidate's own election agent, the office of the election agent is deemed to be—

(a) at the candidate's address as given in the statement of persons nominated (or where the address is not given on that statement, the address as given under rule 5(5) of the PCC elections rules), or

(b) if that address is outside the permitted area for the office, at the qualifying address of the person (or first person) named in that statement as proposer of the candidate.

(6) The police area returning officer on being satisfied that a candidate is by virtue of this article to be treated as the candidate's own election agent, must forthwith—

(a) give public notice to the like effect as if the name and address of the candidate and the address of the candidate's office had been duly given to the officer under articles 26 and 28, and

(b) forward the information to the local returning officer for each voting area wholly or partly comprised in the police area.

(7) Paragraph (6) applies whether or not a statement has been made under rule 5(6) of the PCC elections rules requiring the candidate's home address not to be made public.

Section 30 Control of donations to candidates

(1) In the case of any candidate at a PCC election, any money or other property provided (whether as a gift or loan)—

(a) by any person other than the candidate or the candidate's election agent, and

(b) for the purpose of meeting election expenses incurred by or on behalf of the candidate,

must be provided to the candidate or the candidate's election agent.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any money or other property so provided for the purpose of meeting any such expenses which may be lawfully paid by a person other than the candidate, the candidate's election agent or any sub-agent.

(3) A person who provides any money or other property in contravention of paragraph (1) is guilty of an illegal practice.

(4) Schedule 5 has effect for the purpose of controlling donations to candidates.

(5) In this article and that Schedule “ property ” includes any description of property, and references to the provision of property accordingly include the supply of goods.

Section 31 Payment of candidate election expenses through election agent

(1) Subject to paragraph (4), no payment (of whatever nature) may be made by—

(a) a candidate at a PCC election, or

(b) any other person,

in respect of election expenses incurred by or on behalf of the candidate unless it is made by or through the candidate's election agent.

(2) Every payment made by an election agent in respect of any election expenses must, except where less than £20, be vouched for by a bill stating the particulars or by a receipt.

(3) The references in paragraphs (1) and (2) to an election agent are to be taken as references to the election agent acting by himself or herself or by a sub-agent.

(4) This article does not apply to—

(a) any expenses which are, in accordance with article 32(1) or (2), 37(6) or 38(2), paid by the candidate,

(b) any expenses which are paid in accordance with article 32(4) by a person authorised as mentioned in that provision,

(c) any expenses included in a declaration made by the election agent under article 33, ...

(ca) any expenses incurred on account of any matter falling within article 34(1) by a person authorised as mentioned in that provision; or

(d) any expenses which are to be regarded as incurred by or on behalf of the candidate by virtue of article 50(5).

(5) A person who makes any payment (of whatever nature) in contravention of paragraph (1) is guilty of an illegal practice.

Section 32 Candidate election expenses which may be paid otherwise than by election agent

(1) The candidate at a PCC election may pay any personal expenses incurred by the candidate on account of or in connection with or incidental to the election but—

(a) the amount which a candidate may pay must not exceed £5,000, and

(b) any further personal expenses so incurred by the candidate must be paid by the candidate's election agent.

(2) The candidate at a PCC election may also pay any election expenses (other than expenses falling within paragraph (1)) which were incurred by or on behalf of the candidate and in respect of which payment falls to be made before the date on which the candidate appoints (or is deemed to have appointed) an election agent.

(3) The candidate must send to the candidate's election agent within the time limited by this Order for sending in claims a written statement of the amount of expenses paid as mentioned in paragraph (1) or (2) by the candidate.

(4) Any person may, if so authorised in writing by the candidate's election agent, pay any necessary expenses for stationery, postage, telegrams (or any similar means of communication) and other petty expenses, to a total amount not exceeding that named in the authority, but any excess above the total amount so named must be paid by the election agent.

(5) A statement of the particulars of payments made by any person so authorised must be sent to the election agent within the time limited by this Order for sending in claims, and must be vouched for by a bill containing that person's receipt.

(6) Articles 37 and 38 do not apply to expenses which, in accordance with any provision of this article, are paid otherwise than by the candidate's election agent.

Section 33 Candidate election expenses incurred otherwise than for election purposes

(1) Articles 31, 37 and 38 do not apply to election expenses—

(a) which are incurred by or on behalf of a candidate otherwise than for the purposes of the candidate's election, but

(b) which by virtue of article 50(1) fall to be regarded as election expenses by reason of the property, services or facilities in respect of which they were incurred being used for the purposes of the candidate's election.

(2) The candidate's election agent must make a declaration of the amount of any election expenses falling within paragraph (1).

(3) In this article “ for the purposes of the candidate's election ” has the same meaning as in articles 50 and 51.

Section 34 Prohibition of candidate election expenses not authorised by election agent

(1) No expenses may, with a view to promoting or procuring the election of a person who becomes a candidate at a PCC election, be incurred after the person becomes a candidate at the election by anyone other than the candidate, the candidate's election agent and persons authorised in writing by the election agent on account—

(a) of holding public meetings or organising any public display, or

(b) of issuing advertisements, circulars or publications, or

(c) of otherwise presenting to the electors the candidate or the views of the candidate or the extent or nature of the candidate's backing or disparaging another candidate.

(2) Paragraph (1)(c) does not restrict the publication of any matter relating to the election in—

(a) a newspaper or other periodical,

(b) a broadcast made by the British Broadcasting Corporation or by Sianel Pedwar Cymru, or

(c) a programme included in any service licensed under Part 1 or 3 of the Broadcasting Act 1990 (independent television and radio services) or Part 1 or 2 of the Broadcasting Act 1996 (digital terrestrial television and sound broadcasting).

(3) Paragraph (1) does not apply to any expenses incurred by any person—

(a) which do not exceed in the aggregate the permitted sum (and are not incurred by that person as part of a concerted plan of action), or

(b) in travelling or in living away from home or similar personal expenses.

(4) For the purposes of paragraph (3)(a), the permitted sum in respect of a candidate at a PCC election for a police area listed in an entry in the first column of table 1 is the amount shown for that entry in the second column.

(5) For the purposes of paragraph (3)(a), expenses are to be regarded as incurred by a person “as part of a concerted plan of action” if they are incurred by that person in pursuance of any plan or other arrangement whereby that person and one or more other persons are to incur, with a view to promoting or procuring the election of the same candidate, expenses which (disregarding paragraph (3)(a)) fall within paragraph (1).

(6) Where a person incurs any expenses required by this article to be authorised by the election agent—

(a) that person must within 21 days after the day on which the result of the election is declared deliver to the police area returning officer a return of the amount of those expenses, stating the PCC election at which and the candidate in whose support they were incurred, and

(b) the return must be accompanied by a declaration made by that person (or in the case of an association or body of persons, by a director, general manager, secretary or other similar officer of the association or body) verifying the return and giving particulars of the matters for which the expenses were incurred,

but this paragraph does not apply to any person engaged or employed for payment or promise of payment by the candidate or the election agent of a candidate.

(7) The return and declaration under the preceding provisions of this article must be in Form 24 and Form 25 set out in Schedule 6 or a form to like effect, and the authority received from the election agent must be annexed to the return and is deemed to form part of it.

(8) The police area returning officer must forward to the registration officer for each local authority wholly or partly comprised in the police area every document sent to the officer in pursuance of paragraph (7), and rule 68 of the PCC elections rules shall apply to any such documents.

(9) If a person—

(a) incurs, or aids, abets, counsels or procures any other person to incur, any expenses in contravention of this article, or

(b) knowingly makes the declaration required by paragraph (6)(b) falsely,

that person is guilty of a corrupt practice.

(10) If a person fails to deliver or send any declaration or return or a copy of it as required by this article the person is guilty of an illegal practice.

(11) The court before which a person is convicted under paragraph (9) or (10) may, if it thinks it just in the special circumstances of the case, mitigate or entirely remit any incapacity imposed by virtue of section 173 of the 1983 Act (read with article 77) (incapacities on conviction of corrupt or illegal practices).

(12) A candidate is not liable and the candidate's election is not to be avoided for a corrupt or illegal practice under paragraph (9) or (10) committed by an agent without the candidate's consent or connivance.

(13) Where any act or omission of an association or body of persons, corporate or unincorporate, is an offence declared to be a corrupt or illegal practice by this article, any person who at the time of the act or omission was a director, general manager, secretary or other similar officer of the association or body, or was purporting to act in any such capacity, is deemed guilty of that offence by virtue of this paragraph, unless that person proves—

(a) that the act or omission took place without the person's consent or connivance, and

(b) that the person exercised all such diligence to prevent the commission of the offence as the person ought to have exercised having regard to the nature of the person's functions in that capacity and to all the circumstances.

(14) For the purposes of paragraph (1), expenditure incurred before the date when a person becomes a candidate at the election is to be treated as having been incurred after that date if it is incurred in connection with anything which is used or takes place after that date.

(15) References in this article to an election agent include a sub-agent.

Section 35 Limitation of candidate election expenses

(1) The election expenses incurred by or on behalf of a candidate at a PCC election must not in the aggregate exceed the maximum amount specified in the table in paragraph (2).

(2) For the purposes of paragraph (1), the maximum amount in respect of a candidate at a PCC election for a police area listed in an entry in the first column of table 2 is the amount shown for that entry in the second column.

(3) The maximum amount is not required to cover the candidate's personal expenses.

(4) The maximum amount is not affected for any candidate by the change in the timing of the PCC election or of any step in the proceedings at the election.

(5) Where a poll at a PCC election is countermanded or abandoned by reason of a candidate's death, the maximum amount for any of the other candidates who then remain validly nominated is to be twice or, if there has been a previous increase under this paragraph, three times what it would have been but for any increase under this paragraph.

(6) Where any election expenses are incurred in excess of a maximum amount specified in paragraph (2) or (5), any candidate or election agent who—

(a) incurred, or authorised the incurring of, the election expenses, and

(b) knew or ought reasonably to have known that the expenses would be incurred in excess of that maximum amount,

is guilty of an illegal practice.

Section 36 Power to vary provisions about candidate election expenses

(1) The Secretary of State may by order made by statutory instrument vary any of the sums to which this article applies—

(a) where the Secretary of State considers that the variation is expedient in consequence of changes in the value of money, or

(b) in order to give effect to a recommendation of the Commission.

(2) This article applies to any of the sums for the time being specified in—

(a) article 31(2);

(b) article 32(1)(a);

(c) article 34(4);

(d) article 35(2).

(3) An order under paragraph (1) is subject to annulment in pursuance of a resolution of either House of Parliament.

(4) For the purposes of section 1 of the Statutory Instruments Act 1946 (definition of “Statutory Instrument”), the power to make an order which is conferred by paragraph (1) is to be taken to be conferred by an Act of Parliament.

Section 37 Time for sending in and paying claims

(1) Every claim against a candidate or the candidate's election agent in respect of election expenses which is not sent in to the election agent within 21 days after the day on which the result of the election is declared is barred and must not be paid.

(2) All election expenses must be paid not later than 28 days after that day.

(3) Any person who pays a claim in contravention of paragraph (1) or makes a payment in contravention of paragraph (2) is guilty of an illegal practice.

(4) Where the election court reports that it has been proved to the court that any payment made as described in paragraph (3) was by an election agent without the sanction or connivance of the candidate—

(a) the candidate's election is not void, nor

(b) is the candidate subject to any incapacity under this Order by reason only of that payment having been made in contravention of this article.

(5) The claimant or the candidate or the candidate's election agent may apply to the High Court or to a county court for leave to pay a claim for any election expenses, although sent in after the period of 21 days or although sent in to the candidate and not to the election agent, and the court on cause shown to their satisfaction may by order grant the leave.

(6) Any sum specified in the order of leave may be paid by the candidate or the candidate's election agent and when paid in pursuance of the leave does not contravene paragraph (2).

Section 38 Disputed claims

(1) If the election agent disputes any claim sent in to the agent within the period of 21 days mentioned in article 37 or refuses or fails to pay the claim within the period of 28 days mentioned in that article, the claim is deemed to be a disputed claim.

(2) The claimant may, if the claimant thinks fit, bring an action for a disputed claim in any competent court, and any sum paid by the candidate or the candidate's election agent in pursuance of the judgment or order of the court does not contravene article 31(1) or 37(2).

(3) Article 37(5) and (6) apply in relation to a disputed claim as they apply in relation to a claim for election expenses sent in after that period of 21 days.

Section 39 Election agent's claim

So far as circumstances admit, this Order applies to an election agent's claim for remuneration and to its payment in like manner as if the agent were any other creditor, and if any difference arises about the amount of the claim, the claim is a disputed claim within the meaning of this Part of this Order and is to be dealt with accordingly.

Section 40 Return as to candidate election expenses

(1) Within 70 days after the day on which the result of the PCC election is declared, the election agent of every candidate at the election must deliver to the police area returning officer a true return containing as respects that candidate—

(a) a statement of all election expenses incurred by or on behalf of the candidate, and

(b) a statement of all payments made by the election agent together with all bills or receipts relating to the payments.

(2) A return under this article must—

(a) specify the poll by virtue of which the return is required,

(b) specify the name of the candidate to whom the return relates and the name of the candidate's election agent, and

(c) deal under a separate heading with any expenses in respect of which a return is required by virtue of article 34(6).

(3) The return must also contain as respects that candidate—

(a) a statement relating to such other expenses in connection with which provision is made by this Part as the Commission provide in regulations;

(b) a statement relating to such claims (whether paid, unpaid or disputed) in connection with such election expenses or such other expenses mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) as the Commission so provide;

(c) a statement relating to such other matters as the Commission provide in regulations.

(4) Where after the date at which the return as to election expenses is delivered, leave is given by the court under article 37(5) for any claim to be paid, the candidate or the candidate's election agent—

(a) must, within 7 days after its payment, deliver to the police area returning officer a return of the sums paid in pursuance of the leave, accompanied by a copy of the order of the court giving the leave, and

(b) in default, is to be treated as having failed to comply with the requirements of this article without such authorised excuse as is mentioned in article 45.

(5) The Commission may, by regulations, prescribe a form of return which may be used for the purposes of making any return (or any description of return) required by this article.

Section 41 Declarations as to candidate election expenses

(1) The return delivered under article 40(1) must be accompanied by a declaration made by the candidate's election agent in Form 26 set out in Schedule 6 or a form to like effect.

(2) At the same time that the candidate's election agent delivers that return, or within seven days afterwards, the candidate must deliver to the police area returning officer a declaration made by the candidate in Form 27 set out in Schedule 6 or a form to like effect.

(3) Where the candidate is out of the United Kingdom when the return is so delivered—

(a) the declaration required by paragraph (2) may be made by the candidate within 14 days after the candidate's return to the United Kingdom, and

(b) in that case, the declaration must be forthwith delivered to the police area returning officer.

(4) But the delay authorised by paragraph (3) in making the declaration does not exonerate the candidate's election agent from complying with the provisions of this Order relating to the return and declaration as to election expenses.

(5) Where the candidate is his or her own election agent, the declaration by an election agent as to election expenses need not be made and the declaration by the candidate as to election expenses is to be made in Form 28 in Schedule 6 or a form to like effect.

(6) A candidate or an election agent who knowingly makes the declaration required by this article falsely is guilty of a corrupt practice.

Section 42 Circumstances in which no return or declaration required

Notwithstanding anything in article 40 or 41, no return or declaration as to election expenses is required in the case of a person—

(a) who is a candidate at a PCC election, but is so only because he or she has been declared by others to be a candidate, and

(b) who has not consented to the declaration or taken any part as a candidate at the election.

Section 43 Penalty for failure as respects return or declarations

Subject to the provisions of article 45, a candidate or election agent who fails to comply with the requirements of articles 40 or 41 is guilty of an illegal practice.

Section 44 Disqualification where no return and declarations transmitted after PCC election

(1) If, in the case of any candidate, the return and declarations as to election expenses are not delivered before the expiry of the time limited for the purpose, the candidate is, as respects that election, disqualified from being elected as, or being, a police and crime commissioner.

(2) Any application under article 45 by such a candidate for relief in respect of a failure to deliver the return and declarations as to election expenses must be made within the period of 6 weeks following the day on which the time limited for their delivery expires.

(3) A disqualification under paragraph (1) does not take effect unless or until—

(a) the period specified in paragraph (2) for making an application for relief under article 45 expires without such an application having been made, or

(b) if such an application is made, the application—

(i) is finally disposed of without relief being granted, or

(ii) is abandoned or fails by reason of non-prosecution.

Section 45 Authorised excuses for failures as to return and declarations

(1) A candidate or the candidate's election agent may apply for relief under this article to the High Court, an election court or a county court.

(2) Where a person makes an application under this article, the person must notify the Director of Public Prosecutions of the application and the Director or any assistant of the Director or any barrister, solicitor or authorised person duly appointed as the Director's representative may attend the hearing of the application and make representations at the hearing in respect of it.

(3) Relief under this article may be granted—

(a) to a candidate, in respect of any failure to deliver the return and declarations as to election expenses, or any part of them, or in respect of any error or false statement in them, or

(b) to an election agent, in respect of the failure to deliver the return and declarations which the agent was required to deliver, or any part of them, or in respect of any error or false statement in them.

(4) The application for relief may be made on the ground that the failure, error or false statement arose—

(a) by reason of the applicant's illness, or

(b) where the applicant is the candidate, by reason of the absence, death, illness or misconduct of the candidate's election agent or sub-agent or of any clerk or officer of such agent, or

(c) where the applicant is the election agent—

(i) by reason of the death or illness of any prior election agent of the candidate, or

(ii) by reason of the absence, death, illness or misconduct of any sub-agent, clerk or officer of any election agent of the candidate, or

(d) by reason of inadvertence or any reasonable cause of a like nature,

and not by reason of any want of good faith on the applicant's part.

(5) The court may—

(a) after such notice of the application in the police area as it considers fit, and

(b) on production of such evidence of the grounds stated in the application and of the good faith of the applicant, and otherwise, as it considers fit,

make such order for allowing an authorised excuse for the failure, error or false statement as it considers just.

(6) Where it is proved to the court by the candidate—

(a) that any act or omission of the election agent in relation to the return and declarations was without the sanction or connivance of the candidate, and

(b) that the candidate took all reasonable means for preventing the act or omission,

the court must relieve the candidate from the consequences of the act or omission of the candidate's election agent.

(7) An order under paragraph (5) may make the allowance conditional on the making of the return and declaration in a modified form or within an extended time, and upon the compliance with such other terms as to the court seem best calculated for carrying into effect the objects of this Part.

(8) An order under paragraph (5) has the effect of relieving the applicant for the order from any liability or consequences in respect of the matter excused by the order that would otherwise arise under this Order.

(9) The date of the order or, if conditions and terms are to be complied with, the date at which the applicant fully complies with them, is referred to in this Order as the date of the allowance of the excuse.

Section 46 Court's power to require information from election agent or sub-agent

(1) Where on an application under article 45 it appears to the court that any person (“P”) who is or has been an election agent or sub-agent has refused or failed to make such return, or to supply such particulars, as will enable the candidate and the candidate's election agent respectively to comply with the provisions of this Order as to the return or declarations as to election expenses, the court, before making an order under that article, must order P to attend before the court.

(2) The court must on the attendance of P, unless P shows cause to the contrary, order P—

(a) to make the return and declaration, or

(b) to deliver a statement of the particulars required to be contained in the return,

as the court considers just, within such time, to such person and in such manner as the court may direct, or may order P to be examined with respect to the particulars.

(3) If P fails to comply with any order of the court under this article, the court may order P to pay a fine ....

(4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Section 47 Police area returning officer to forward returns and declarations to the Commission

Where the police area returning officer receives any return or declaration under article 34, 40 or 41, the officer must —

(a) as soon as reasonably practicable after receiving the return or declaration deliver a copy of it to the Commission, and

(b) if so requested by the Commission, also deliver to them a copy of any accompanying documents.