OSCE/ODIHR Review of Laws for Elections to the Legislative Bodies of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales

Elections to the Scottish Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales are scheduled for 1 May of this year, and elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly are planned for 29 May. The OSCE Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights has been invited by the Government of the United Kingdom to organize an assessment mission for these elections. The elections to the legislative bodies of the devolved administrations will be held concurrently with local elections. This review of the laws of the United Kingdom governing elections to the legislative bodies of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales is based primarily on an examination of the Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections) Order 20012 (“NI Elections Order”), as amended. The other statutes and materials listed in the references hereto have also been consulted.