Elections Act 2001

{{Short description|Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom}} {{Use British English|date=August 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox UK legislation |short_title=Elections Act 2001{{efn|Section 8.}} |type=Act |parliament=Parliament of the United Kingdom |long_title=An Act to postpone local elections in England and Wales and Northern Ireland, to require polls for different elections in Northern Ireland to be taken together if they are to be taken on the same day, and to make consequential provision. |year=2001 |citation=2001 c. 7 |territorial_extent=United Kingdom |royal_assent=10 April 2001 |commencement=10 April 2001{{efn|Section 4(b) of the Interpretation Act 1978.}} |repeal_date= |amends={{ubli|Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962|Representation of the People Act 1983|Representation of the People Act 1985|Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 1985|Parliamentary Elections (Returning Officer’s Charges) (Northern Ireland) Order 1997|Northern Ireland Act 1998|Representation of the People (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2001}} |amendments={{ubli|Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 2010|Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011|Anonymous Registration (Northern Ireland) Order 2014|Elections Act 2022|Local Elections (Northern Ireland) (Amendment) Order 2024}} |related_legislation= |repealing_legislation= |status=Amended |original_text=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2001/07/contents/enacted |revised_text=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2001/07/contents |use_new_UK-LEG=yes |}}

The '''Elections Act 2001''' (c. 7) was an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Because of the 2001 United Kingdom foot-and-mouth crisis the act postponed the 2001 local government elections in England and Wales, from 3 May 2001 to 7 June 2001,<ref>The Elections Act 2001, sections 1(1) and 1(2) (the second relates to by-elections)</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=2001-04-11 |title=Local election delay clears parliament |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2001/apr/10/localgovelections.politics |access-date=2026-01-26 |work=The Guardian}}</ref> and in Northern Ireland, from 16 May 2001 to 7 June 2001.<ref>The Elections Act 2001, section 2(1) (did not include by-elections)</ref><ref name=":0" /> In Northern Ireland, it also required polls to be taken together on the day.<ref>The Elections Act 2001, section 3</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2001-04-03 |title=HOME OFFICE PUBLISHES BILL TO POSTPONE LOCAL ELECTIONS |url=https://www.lgcplus.com/archive/home-office-publishes-bill-to-postpone-local-elections-03-04-2001/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20260111104544/https://www.lgcplus.com/archive/home-office-publishes-bill-to-postpone-local-elections-03-04-2001/ |archive-date=2026-01-11 |access-date=2026-01-11 |work=Local Government Chronicle}}</ref> In England, Wales and Northern Ireland it also increased candidates expenses by 50%.<ref>The Elections Act 2001, sections 1(7) and 2(3)</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news |date=2001-04-05 |title=Tories slam election delay bill |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2001/apr/04/election2001.uk3 |access-date=2026-01-26 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>

It also defines the rules for taking both the parliamentary and local elections at the same time in Northern Ireland, amending Representation of the People Act 1985.

== Reception == The Conservative Party criticised the legislation, describing it as an "insult to the parliamentary process".<ref name=":1" />

== Notes == {{Notelist}}

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * {{UK-LEG}} * {{UK-LEG|asmade=yes}}

Category:United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 2001 Category:Election legislation in the United Kingdom Category:Constitutional laws of the United Kingdom