Elections (Keys and Local Authorities) (Amendment) Bill 2024

Page 1 of 14

Closes 29 Jan 2025

Introduction

The Elections (Keys and Local Authorities) Act 2020 (PDF opens in a new tab) was utilised for the first time at the 2021 House of Keys Election and following feedback from stakeholders several areas were identified that needed addressing, some of which required legislative amendment.

A delegation of international observers contributed to a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) report (PDF opens in a new tab) on the 2021 General Election.

In March 2024 an Electoral Commission report to Tynwald (PDF opens in a new tab) was submitted following consideration of specified electoral matters.

After considering both the CPA and Electoral Commission reports Tynwald issued instructions, the implementation of which requires some amendment of the Act and will be addressed by this Bill.

This Bill will amend several provisions of the Elections (Keys and Local Authorities) Act 2020, which are:

  • Section 3 – Definitions - election regulations
     
  • Section 22 – Powers to make regulations about the publishing of declarations of relevant interest in respect of candidates in Local Authority elections
     
  • Section 63 - Pre-election meetings
     
  • Section 68 - Powers of Deputy Returning Officer for maintenance of the peace
     
  • Section 81 - Powers to make regulations about the publishing of declarations of relevant interest in respect of candidates in National elections
     
  • Section 84 – Power to make regulations to enable a voter to be allotted more than one polling station within a constituency at which the vote may be taken
     
  • Section 88 – To make it an offence for a candidate to fail to disclose relevant interests
     
  • Section 107 - Tellers – removing the requirement to take an oath of secrecy
     
  • Sections 136, 140 and 152 – Update to enable a recall by a Tynwald Committee.

It is proposed that the amended legislation will be in place in time for the House of Keys General Election, scheduled in September 2026.

Previous consultation results addressed by the Bill

The results of previous consultations on electoral matters have been published and are available for review online on the Government Consultation Hub. The consultations requested feedback from a range of stakeholders. Links to the results of the consultations are below.

2018 – Elections that work for everyone

The public consultation ‘Elections That Work for Everyone’ (opens in a new tab), held in 2018, posed a series of high-level questions on how elections should run in the Isle of Man. The responses formed an important part of the review alongside the feedback from a range of direct stakeholders.

2020 – Modernisation of the Islands Electoral System 2020

The consultation ‘Modernisation of the Island’s Electoral System’ (opens in a new tab) took the process forward by inviting views on a number of specific questions in respect of Electoral Registration and Election Legislation.