ARTICLE · 01 MAY 2007

Will New Election Rules Increase Claims Against Public Authorities?

CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang

Explore more from CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang

Local Government elections are taking place on 3 May 2007. New ward boundaries mean that of the 312 authorities in England over half have elections for all three council posts. Additional obligations imposed on local authorities and councils managing the election process by the new Electoral Administration Act 2006 may mean an increase in claims for insurers of public authorities.

United KingdomGovernment, Public Sector

Joanne Marshall

Local Government elections are taking place on 3 May 2007. New ward boundaries mean that of the 312 authorities in England over half have elections for all three council posts. Additional obligations imposed on local authorities and councils managing the election process by the new Electoral Administration Act 2006 may mean an increase in claims for insurers of public authorities.

It was two years ago that the Election Commissioner hearing the cases of alleged postal voting fraud in Birmingham during the 2004 local government elections said that the evidence of electoral fraud "would disgrace a banana republic".

Since then the new Electoral Administration Act 2006, which should be implemented in time for the May 2007 elections, has placed new obligations on local authorities and councils which arrange and manage elections. Amongst other things, councils are now required to check personal identifiers on statements accompanying postal votes against those submitted with the earlier

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