This Local Authority is fundamentally different from all others in the UK.
Most of the voters are appointed by companies located in the financial City (the ‘square mile’)
The City of London Corporation (the ‘Corporation’) is bicameral, and the elections next March are for the Common Councilmen in the lower house, the ‘Court of Common Council’. The upper house is the ‘Court of Aldermen’. There are 25 Aldermen, one for each Ward. There are 100 Common Councilmen (not ‘councillors’!) who, together with the Aldermen, form the Court of Common Council.
Much UK electoral law doesn’t apply in the City of London, just as many laws, or parts of laws, don’t apply there generally. That’s because a Corporation functionary, the ‘City Remembrancer’, ‘sits behind the Speaker’s Chair’ in the House of Commons to examine all proposed legislation and to advise which bills or parts of bills the City Corporation wants to be exempted from.
In elections, for example, it means that the Court of Common council deals with its own periodic boundary reviews - there’s no place for the LGBCE! Ballot secrecy is assured by using the Ballot Act 1872 - more recent legislative provisions in this area don’t apply to the Corporation.
Just to provoke David, I have to mention that Election Day has been set (by the Corporation) for Wednesday 19th March, but polling (if required) will take place on Thursday 20th March.
Traditionally, many wards have been uncontested in these Common Council elections. Next year, it will be surprising if a single ward is uncontested, as significant efforts have been made by the Corporation to promote the idea that duly qualified people may want to put themselves up for election.
