The Elections and Registration Act 1915 (
5 & 6 Geo. 5. c. 76) was a
war time act of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, and may also legislate for the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace ...
that postponed local elections and the preparation of registers of electors. Initially the postponement was for one year, but the Act was renewed annually until the electoral cycle was resumed in 1919 following the cessation of hostilities.
Background
Elections to local authorities in the United Kingdom were held annually in either April or November. In August 1914 war broke out, although this did not initially effect the municipal elections which were duly held in November 1914 and April 1915.
A coalition government was formed in May 1915, and in June it was announced that the cabinet intended to introduce legislation to both extend the life of Parliament by a year to 1917, and also to postpone the November 1915 borough elections. The postponement of elections would also mean that local authorities would not need to compile new electoral registers.
The Elections and Registration Bill was duly introduced to the
Commons
The commons is the cultural and natural resources accessible to all members of a society, including natural materials such as air, water, and a habitable Earth. These resources are held in common even when owned privately or publicly. Commons ...
only 22 July. The bill passed all stages in both houses rapidly, and received
royal assent
Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in othe ...
on 29 July.
Provisions
The Act was a short document containing only four sections.
Renewal
With the continuation of the war until November 1918, the provisions of the 1915 legislation had to be renewed on three occasions by the (
6 & 7 Geo. 5. c. 44), (
7 & 8 Geo. 5. c. 13) and the (
7 & 8 Geo. 5. c. 50).
See also
*
Local Elections and Register of Electors (Temporary Provisions) Act 1939, similar legislation operative for the duration of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
*
Coronavirus Act 2020
The Coronavirus Act 2020 (c. 7) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that granted the government emergency powers to handle the COVID-19 pandemic. The act allowed the government the discretionary power to limit or suspend public ...
sections 59 to 70, which similarly suspended elections for a year during the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
References
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Local government in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1915
Local government legislation in England and Wales
Election law in the United Kingdom
Election legislation