1 Referendum on continued membership of the European Union

(1) On 15th October 2012, a referendum shall be held on the United Kingdom’s

continued membership of the European Union.

(2) The proposition to be voted on in the referendum and the front of the ballot

5papers to be used for that purpose shall be in the form set out in the Schedule.

(3) Those entitled to vote in the referendum shall be the persons who, on the date

of the referendum, would be entitled to vote as electors at a parliamentary

election in a constituency in the United Kingdom.

But an alteration in a register of electors under section 11(1) or (2) or 57 of the

10Representation of the People Act 1983 (correction of registers and registration

appeals) shall not have effect for the purposes of the referendum unless it is

made before the start of the periods of eleven days ending with the date of the

referendum.

(4) The Secretary of State shall appoint a Chief Counting Officer for the United

15Kingdom.

(5) The Chief Counting Officer shall appoint a counting officer for each

parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom.

(6) Each counting officer shall—

(a) conduct the counting of votes cast in the area for which he is appointed

20in accordance with provisions made by order by the Secretary of State,

and

(b) certify the number of ballot papers counted by him and the number of

votes cast for each proposition.

(7) The Chief Counting Officer shall certify the total of—

(a) the ballot papers counted, and

(b) the votes cast for each proposition,

for the whole of the United Kingdom.

(8) An order made under subsection (6)(a) shall be made by statutory instrument

5and a draft must be laid before and approved by a resolution of both Houses

of Parliament.

2 Exclusion of legal proceedings

No court shall entertain any proceedings for questioning the number of ballot

papers counted or votes cast as certified by a Chief Counting Officer or

10counting officer appointed in accordance with section or 1(4) or (5).

3 Expenditure

(1) There shall be charged on and paid out of the Consolidated Fund any

expenditure which is to be charged on and paid out of that fund by virtue of

any enactment applied under this Act or any orders under this Act.

(2) 15Any expenditure of a Minister of the Crown—

(a) in connection with a referendum held by virtue of this Act, or

(b) in preparation for withdrawal from the European Union,

shall be paid out of money provided by Parliament.

4 Short title

20This Act may be cited as the Referendum (European Union) Act 2010.

Section 1(2)

Schedule Form of First Ballot Paper