Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1996

Polling districts and polling places.

2.—The Electoral Act, 1992 , is hereby amended in section 28 by—

(a) the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (1):

“(1A) Each local authority shall, in making a scheme under this section, endeavour to appoint as polling places only such areas as shall allow the returning officer to provide at each polling place at least one polling station which is accessible to wheelchair users.”,

(b) the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (5):

“(5A) (a) Where it is not practicable to provide a polling station which is accessible to wheelchair users at a polling place appointed for a polling district by a scheme for the time being in force in respect of a county or county borough, the local authority may appoint an alternative polling place at which it is practicable to provide a polling station which is accessible to wheelchair users for that polling district.

(b) As soon as may be after the appointment of an alternative polling place for a polling district under paragraph (a), the local authority shall notify in writing details of such appointment to the Minister.”,

and

(c) the substitution in subsection (6) for “a scheme under this section shall be” of “a scheme under this section and an appointment under subsection (5A) of an alternative polling place for a polling district in a scheme for the time being in force shall each be”.