Election of Deputy Presiding Officer

“7. (1) At the inaugural meeting of the Assembly referred to in Standing Order No. 3(1), so soon as the Councilors have been appointed, the Assembly shall proceed to the election of an Assemblyman or Councilor, to be the Deputy Presiding Officer of the Assembly except that no member shall nominate more than one candidate for the same office, whether as proposer or seconder.

(2) A member, having first ascertained that the member to be proposed is willing to serve if elected, may propose any member to the Assembly as Deputy Presiding Officer and if that proposal be seconded, the Presiding Officer and if that proposal be seconded, the Presiding Officer, if no other such member be proposed for the office, shall declare the member so proposed and seconded to be the Deputy Presiding Officer.

(3) If more than one member is proposed and seconded for the office of Deputy Presiding Officer, the Presiding Officer shall, after all such members have been proposed and seconded, put a selection of the candidate to a vote by secret ballot.

(4) The member elected to the office shall be the candidate receiving the highest number of votes, but where because of an equality of votes the election of Deputy Presiding Officer is impossible, the ballot shall be retaken in respect of the relevant members.

(5) Where on the second ballot the equality of votes continues, the Presiding Officer shall exercise a casting vote.”