The Short Title of this Act is “The Local Government Voting Reform Act, 1899.”

In every case where under any Act provision is made for submitting any proposal to the votes of the ratepayers or burgesses of the district or of any subdivision of the district of a local authority, such proposal shall be deemed to be carried if, at the poll taken on such proposal, the number of valid votes recorded in favour of the proposal exceeds the number of valid votes recorded against the same, each ratepayer or burgess having in the case of a borough or any subdivision thereof one vote and no more, and in any other case the voting-power specified in the Schedule hereto;

Provided that, except in the case of a borough or any subdivision thereof, no proposal to raise a loan shall be deemed to be carried unless the number of valid votes recorded in favour of the proposal is at least three-fifths of the total number of valid votes recorded; Provided, further, that in the case of a borough or any subdivision thereof nothing in this Act shall operate to entitle any person enrolled on the burgess roll in respect of the residential qualification to vote on any proposal relating to loans or rates.

At every poll taken for the election of a member of a local authority, in the case of a borough or subdivision thereof, each ratepayer or burgess shall have one vote and no more, and in the case of local authorities outside a borough each elector or ratepayer shall have the voting-power specified in the Schedule hereto, not exceeding three votes.

Every Act, whether general, local, or special, which is in any way in conflict with this Act is hereby modified in so far as such conflict exists, but not further or otherwise.

Section two of this Act shall come into operation and be deemed to commence on the first day of January, one thousand nine hundred: Provided that Acts passed during this session of Parliament dealing with votes of ratepayers for local loans shall have effect as in each Act expressed, this Act notwithstanding.