Overview Police and Crime Commissioners: Elections and Vacancies Section 50: Ordinary elections
184.Under section 50 an election for police and crime commissioners for all police areas will be held in 2012. Elections will then be held in each subsequent fourth year. Subsection (2) provides that the date of the poll in 2012 will be 15 November, and subsection (3) that in subsequent years (subject to an order made under subsection (4)) the poll will be on the ‘ordinary day of election’ in that year. ‘Ordinary day of election’ is defined in subsection (6), and by reference to sections 37, 37A and 37B of the Representation of the People Act 1983, as the day of election of councillors in that year. Subsection (4) contains a power for the Secretary of State by order to vary the date of the election for police and crime commissioners. Subsection (7) provides that the term of office of a police and crime commissioner starts on the seventh day after the election, and ends on the sixth day after the next ordinary election of police and crime commissioners, but subsection (8) provides that this is subject to any provision made under this Act, or any other Act, relating to the appointment of election of police and crime commissioners or their ceasing to hold office.