Provisions of the Bill
The Bill contained provisions relating to four broad areas of devolved electoral law:
Who can stand for election
Campaign finance
Running elections
Election governance
Specific provisions included:
the extension of candidacy rights at Scottish Parliament and local government elections in Scotland to foreign nationals with limited leave to remain
extending the Elections Act 2022 disqualification order to bar individuals who have received such an order from being able to stand for election in Scotland
creating a new Scottish disqualification order which can apply to individuals found guilty of intimidating electoral workers
changes to the definition of notional expenditure at devolved Scottish elections, bringing the definition in line with that provided for in the Elections Act 2022
reducing the amount campaigners who do not have to register with the Electoral Commission can spend at Scottish Parliament elections to £700, in line with the Elections Act 2022
changing the rules on third party campaigners at Scottish Parliament elections by requiring the Electoral Commission to provide a code of practice on such campaigning, and by allowing Scottish Ministers to change the categories of third party campaigners by secondary legislation
measures to allow for re-scheduling of Scottish elections in emergency situations
allowing the Electoral Management Board for Scotland, Electoral Registration Officers and Scottish Ministers, as well as local authorities, to be able to propose electoral pilots
giving Scottish Ministers a power to allow funding for increased democratic engagement
changing the law on digital imprints on material relating to Scottish elections
changing the Boundaries Scotland review deadline to match five year local government election cycles
creating a deputy convener post within the Electoral Management Board for Scotland
changing the legal status of the Electoral Management Board for Scotland
parliamentary scrutiny of the Electoral Commission's activities...