Local Government Act 1972

38 E+W If any person, in a [F1 poll consequent on a community meeting] [F1 community governance poll]—

(a) fraudulently defaces or fraudulently destroys any ballot paper or the official mark; or

(b) without due authority supplies a ballot paper to any person; or

(c) fraudulently puts into a ballot box any paper other than the ballot paper which he is authorised by law to put in; or

(d) fraudulently takes out of the polling station any ballot paper; or

(e) without due authority destroys, takes, opens or otherwise interferes with any ballot box or packet of ballot papers then in use for the purposes of the poll;

he shall—

(i) if he is a returning officer, or an authorised person appointed to assist in taking the poll or counting the votes, be liable on conviction on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years; and

(ii) in any other case, be liable, on conviction on indictment or summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding £50, or both.

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Sch. 12 para. 38 substituted (W.) (5.5.2022) by Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021 (asc 1), s. 175(7), Sch. 13 para. 8; S.I. 2021/231, art. 6(v)