Representation of the People Act 1983

Admission to polling station U.K.

32 [F1 (1) The presiding officer shall exclude all persons from the polling station except— U.K.

(a) voters;

(b) persons under the age of 18 who accompany voters to the polling station;

[F2 (ba) where regulations under rule 45(1B)(a) or (b) provide that a postal ballot paper or postal voting statement may be returned by hand to a polling station, persons aged 18 or over returning such a document by hand;]

(c) the candidates and their election agents;

(d) the polling agents appointed to attend at the polling station;

(e) the clerks appointed to attend at the polling station;

(f) persons who are entitled to attend by virtue of any of sections 6A to 6D of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000;

(g) the constables on duty; and

(h) the companions of voters with disabilities.

(1A) The presiding officer shall regulate the total number of voters and persons under the age of 18 who accompany them to be admitted to the polling station at the same time.]

(2) Not more than one polling agent shall be admitted at the same time to a polling station on behalf of the same candidate.

(3) A constable or person employed by a returning officer shall not be admitted to vote in person elsewhere than at his own polling station under the relevant provision of this Act, except on production and surrender of a certificate as to his employment, which shall be in the prescribed form and signed by the prescribed officer of police or by the returning officer, as the case may be.

(4) Any certificate surrendered under this rule shall forthwith be cancelled.

[F3 (5) In the application of this rule to an election in England or Wales, a reference to a constable includes a person designated as a community support officer [F4 or community support volunteer] under section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002 (police powers for employees [F5 or volunteers]).]

Textual Amendments

F1 Sch. 1 rule 32(1)(1A) substituted (31.1.2007 for E.W.S. and 1.7.2008 for N.I.) for Sch. 1 rule 32(1) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 47, 77, Sch. 1 para. 84; S.I. 2006/3412, art. 5; S.I. 2008/1316, arts. 2, 4

F2 Sch. 1 rule 32(1)(ba) inserted (12.12.2023) by Elections Act 2022 (c. 37), ss. 5(3), 67(1); S.I. 2023/1234, reg. 2(b) (with reg. 3)

F3 Sch. 1 rule 32(5) inserted (6.4.2014) by Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 (c. 6), ss. 21(2), 27(1); S.I. 2014/414, art. 3(e) (with art. 4)

F4 Words in Sch. 1 para. 32(5) inserted (31.1.2017 for specified purposes, 15.12.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), s. 183(1)(5)(e), Sch. 12 para. 6(3)(a); S.I. 2017/1139, reg. 2(k) (as amended by S.I. 2017/1162, reg. 2)

F5 Words in Sch. 1 para. 32(5) inserted (31.1.2017 for specified purposes, 15.12.2017 in so far as not already in force) by Policing and Crime Act 2017 (c. 3), s. 183(1)(5)(e), Sch. 12 para. 6(3)(b); S.I. 2017/1139, reg. 2(k) (as amended by S.I. 2017/1162, reg. 2)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Sch. 1 rules 32–34 applied (N.I.) by S.I. 1986/2250, regs. 2, 3, 5, Sch. 1 Pt. I

C2 Sch. 1 rules 32–34 applied (E.W.S.) by S.I. 1986/2209, regs. 2, 3, 5(1)(6)–(8), Sch. 1 Pt. I

C3 Sch. 1 rule 32 applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (4.5.1996) by S.I. 1996/1220, art. 3(1)(5)-(8), Sch. 1

Sch. 1 rule 32 applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (25.4.1998) by S.I. 1998/1126, art. 6, Sch. 2

C4 Sch. 1 rule 32 applied (with modifications) (1.8.2001) by The Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/2599), art. 3, Sch. 1 (as amended (13.11.2003) by S.I. 2003/2989, art. 2(2); substituted (10.2.2009) by S.I. 2009/256, arts. 1(2), 3, Sch. 1; and modified (16.2.2011) by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 (c. 1), s. 19(1), Sch. 8 para. 19(2))

C5 Sch. 1 rule 32(2) applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (4.5.1996) by S.I. 1996/1220, art. 3(1)(b)(6)(d)(7)

C6 Sch. 1 rule 32(1)(3)(4) applied (with modifications) (31.7.1997) by 1997 c. 61, s. 3, Sch. 3 para. 13 Table 2