Electoral (Amendment) Act, 1998

Amendment of section 52 of Act of 1997.

17.—Section 52 of the Act of 1997 is hereby amended—

(a) in subsection (1) by the substitution of the following paragraph for paragraph (a):

“(a) In this Part, subject to paragraph (b), ‘election expenses’ means all expenditure for electoral purposes incurred on the provision of property, goods or services for use at a presidential election during the period commencing on the date of the order appointing polling day at that election and ending on polling day at that election in order—

(i) to promote or oppose, directly or indirectly, the election of a candidate or to solicit votes for or against a candidate,

(ii) to present the policies or a particular policy of a candidate or the views of a candidate on any matter connected with the election or the comments of a candidate on the policy or policies of another candidate at the presidential election, or

(iii) otherwise to influence the outcome of the election,

and shall be deemed to include all expenditure incurred in the taking of an opinion poll or other similar survey relating to the presidential election within the period of 60 days before polling day at the election by or on behalf of a candidate at the election.”,

(b) in subsection (1)(b) by the substitution of the following sub paragraph for subparagraph (iv):

“(iv) any of the matters referred to in subparagraphs (i) to (v) of section 46(2)(b);”,

and

(c) by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (3):

“(3) The following shall be reckoned for the purposes of this Part and shall be included in the statement to be furnished to the Public Offices Commission under section 56:

(a) all election expenses incurred by or on behalf of a candidate at a presidential election at any time during the period commencing on the date of the order appointing polling day at that election and ending on polling day at that election;

(b) all election expenses incurred, by or on behalf of a candidate at a presidential election at any time before the commencement of the relevant period referred to in paragraph (a), for the provision of property, goods or services for use at the election during that period;

(c) all payments made in respect of the election expenses referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b).”