The proceedings to elect a Presiding Officer will be chaired by the former Presiding Officer. However, the former Presiding Officer cannot chair proceedings and be nominated for election as Presiding Officer. Should the former Presiding Officer wish to stand as Presiding Officer, the Clerk of the Senedd will chair the election proceedings.
The procedure for electing the Presiding Officer and Deputy is identical and is summarised below:
Secret Ballot Arrangements
If a secret ballot is required, the Chair will adjourn the meeting (for a time to be determined by the Chair). Each Member will be issued with a ballot paper and will cast their vote and place it in the ballot box. The Clerk of the Senedd will supervise the voting and counting of votes. If there is only one nomination, Members will be asked to vote for or against the Member nominated. In the case of multiple nominations, Members will be asked to select their preferred candidate. In both instances Members may also abstain. If two Members have been nominated and the secret ballot results in a tie, further secret ballots will take place until one candidate has received more than half of the votes cast. If more than two Members have been nominated and no Member receives more than half of the votes cast in a ballot, the candidate with the lowest number of votes will be eliminated. Further secret ballots will take place until one candidate has received more than half of the votes cast.
Result of Presiding Officer Election
The Chair will announce the result of the election in the Siambr. The Member elected as Presiding Officer will take the oath if they have not already done so, and will immediately take the chair for any remaining items of business on the Plenary agenda, including the election of the Deputy Presiding Officer. The newly elected Presiding Officer may also choose to make an acceptance speech.
Election of the Deputy Presiding Officer
The election of the Deputy Presiding Officer will follow immediately after the election of the Presiding Officer.
The Senedd cannot elect a Presiding Officer and a Deputy Presiding Officer from:
- the same political group;
- different political groups both of which are in government; or
- different political groups neither of which is in government.
Nevertheless, any Member can propose a motion to disapply this rule, prior to the election of the Deputy Presiding Officer. The motion may be proposed without notice, but must be supported by at least two-thirds of Members voting. If the elected Presiding Officer and Deputy happen to subsequently fall within one of the categories listed above during the course of the Senedd (and neither resign from office) any Member can propose a motion at the next Plenary meeting that the Presiding Officer and Deputy should remain in office. Again, this motion must be agreed by at least two-thirds of Members voting.