Electoral (Amendment) Act, 2001

Amendment of Presidential Elections Act, 1993.

52.—The Presidential Elections Act, 1993 , is amended—

(a) in paragraph (b) of section 7 by the substitution of “7 a.m.” for “8 a.m.”;

(b) in section 9 by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (6)—

“(6) On the request of the presidential returning officer for an advance on account of his services and expenses, the Minister for Finance may, (irrespective of whether an order has been made under section 7 or not) if he thinks fit, and on such terms as he thinks fit, make such an advance.”;

(c) in section 11 by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (3)—

“(3) On the request of a local returning officer for an advance on account of the officer's charges, the Minister for Finance may, after consultation with the Minister, (irrespective of whether the scale of charges referred to in subsection (1) has been prepared or not), if he thinks fit and on such terms as he thinks fit, make such an advance.”;

(d) in section 37 by—

(i) the insertion of the following paragraph after paragraph (a) of subsection (2):

“(aa) a ballot paper may include a photograph of each candidate in accordance with the requirements prescribed in regulations which may be made by the Minister (and such regulations may provide for the modification of the form of the ballot paper for that purpose);”;

and

(ii) in subsection (2) the insertion of “and the modifications which may be provided for in regulations under paragraph (aa)” after “directions” in paragraph (f);

and

(iii) the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (2):

“(2A) A notice containing a copy of the ballot paper in large print shall be displayed by the presiding officer in the polling station.”;

and

(e) in section 43 by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (1)—

“(1A) (a) Where a presidential elector is employed by a local returning officer for any purpose in connection with a presidential election and is registered to vote in a constituency, other than one in which the employment occurs, the elector shall, on application being made by him in that behalf, be entitled to have his name entered in a supplement to the postal voters list which the registration authority is empowered to prepare and publish in accordance with section 15A of the Electoral Act, 1992 . An application under this section shall be made on a form directed by the Minister, and the local returning officer who is employing the person shall certify on the form that the person will be employed by him on polling day in connection with the election and will be unable to vote in person in the constituency at the polling station at which the presidential elector would otherwise be entitled to vote.

(b) Where an application under paragraph (a) is granted, the registration authority shall note the register of electors by placing a mark on the register against the number and name of the elector to denote that the elector's name is on the postal voters list.

(c) Section 15A(2)(d) of the Electoral Act, 1992 , shall apply to an application for entry in a supplement to the postal voters list under paragraph (a) as if references in that provision to paragraph (a) or (b) of section 14 were a reference to this subsection.

(d) Subsection (4) of section 15A of the Electoral Act, 1992 , shall not apply to an application under this subsection.”.