Candidates etc

(1) A person falls within this section if the person is—

(a) a candidate or future candidate at an election for a relevant elective office ora relevant Scottish elective office, or
(b) a substitute or nominee in relation to the seat of a member of the NorthernIreland Assembly or of a district council in Northern Ireland.
(2) The reference in subsection (1)(a) to a person who is a candidate at an election includesa person who is included in a list of candidates submitted in connection with theelection.

(3) For the purposes of subsection (1)(a) a person is a future candidate at an election fora relevant elective office or a relevant Scottish elective office if—

(a) the person has been declared, whether by the person or by others, to be acandidate at the election (and the declaration has not been withdrawn),
(b) the election is the next scheduled election for the office, and
(c) the notice of the election has not been published or, in the case of an electionfor the office of member of the House of Commons, the writ for the electionhas not been issued.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (1)(b) a person is a substitute—

(a) in relation to the seat of a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, if theperson—

(i) is included in a notice given by the member under article 6A of the2001 Order (vacancies arising during an Assembly term: independentmembers) or, where the member has given more than one notice underthat article, in the last such notice, or
(ii) is being considered by the member for inclusion in such a notice;

(b) in relation to the seat of a member of a district council in Northern Ireland,if the person—

(i) is included in a list of substitutes given by the member undersection 11C of the 1962 Act (substitute lists: independent members)or, where the member has given more than one list of substitutes underthat section, in the latest such list, or
(ii) is being considered by the member for inclusion in such a list.

(5) For the purposes of subsection (1)(b) a person is a nominee—

(a) in relation to the seat of a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, if theperson—

(i) has under article 6B of the 2001 Order (vacancies arising during anAssembly term: members of registered parties) been nominated by thenominating officer of a registered party to fill a vacancy in the seat, or
(ii) is being considered by the nominating officer of a registered party fornomination under that article;

(b) in relation to the seat of a member of a district council in Northern Ireland,if the person—

(i) has under section 11E or 11F of the 1962 Act (members for registeredparties: filling casual vacancies) been nominated by the nominatedofficer of a registered party to fill a vacancy in the seat, or
(ii) is being considered by the nominating officer of a registered party fornomination under either of those sections.

(6) For the purposes of subsection (5)(b) as it applies in relation to section 11F of the1962 Act, references to the nominated officer of a registered party are to be read asreferences to the nominating officers of each of the registered parties concerned.
(7) In this section—

“the 1962 Act” means the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962;
“the 2001 Order” means the Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections) Order2001 (S.I. 2001/2599);
“nominating officer”, in relation to a registered party, means the personregistered as the party’s nominating officer under PPERA in the NorthernIreland register (within the meaning of PPERA);
“registered party” means a party registered under PPERA in that register.