How would a second Brexit referendum work?

[nitpicker]

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/dec/15/how-would-a-second-brexit-referendum-work

How would a second Brexit referendum work?

Peter Walker Political correspondent

Sat 15 Dec 2018 08.00 GMT

With parliament gridlocked on a Brexit deal, and time running out before the 29 March deadline, there is increasing focus on a second referendum. Much of the attention so far has focused on the politics of the idea, but there are also complex logistical challenges. Below are the decisions which would have to be made, and hurdles cleared, if there was to be such a vote.

How would a second referendum be called?

It would need new primary legislation, as with the EU Referendum Act 2015, which began the whole process. As well as laying down the legal framework for a second referendum, this would need to spell out details such as the question, the poll date and who would be allowed to vote. The bill can say that some details, such as the date, will be specified later by parliamentary directive.

Under the law which lays out rules for such votes, the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, the Electoral Commission also has to carry out what is called “question testing” – making sure the question asked of voters is the best one.

How long would all this take?

The most thorough assessment of the mechanics of a second Brexit referendum, produced by academics at the constitution unit of University College London, concluded the briefest feasible gap between deciding on such a vote and holding it was 22 weeks. This means a poll date of late May at the earliest.

The calculation is that legislation would take 11 weeks: with eight weeks of question testing taking place at the same time; a week for transition between the legislation coming into force and the campaign; and then a 10-week campaign.

Another report into a second referendum, by the People’s Vote group, gives no equivalent figure but argues it should be possible to “condense” elements of the process.

Would article 50 have to be suspended?

Almost inevitably. The official timetable still lays out a UK departure of 29 March, and there will seemingly not be time to hold another public vote before then. Luckily for proponents of a second referendum, the European court of justice ruled last week that the UK can stop the process without seeking EU approval.
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[MichMan]

1. Probably like school millage elections...

… just keep having them again until it passes.

[OnDoutside]

2. I think there could be a 2nd and 3rd referendum. There are currently

3 options, No deal Brexit, No Brexit and May's deal. If all 3 remain on the table, then you would have to put all 3 up in the 2nd referendum, with a runoff between the top two, in a 3rd referendum.