§ Lord Waddingtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, following the consultation paper Changes to the Rules for London Mayoral and Assembly Elections and the Greater London Authority Elections (Amendment) Rules 2003, no instructions to voters will say that in the mayoral election a voter must ensure both a first and second choice. [HL1065]
§ Lord Evans of Temple GuitingThe prescribed notices for guidance of voters at GLA elections126WA instruct voters to vote once for their first choice and once for their second choice at the mayoral election.
The consultation paper Changes to the Rules for London Mayoral and Assembly Elections includes a proposal to replace the prescribed text for these notices with a set of criteria governing what the notices should and should not include. Within those criteria, the Greater London returning officer would specify the wording and design of the notices, including what they should say about exercising first and second choice votes.
After the consultation closes on 10 March, the Government will analyse the responses and decide whether and how to take this proposal forward.