The Regional Assembly and Local Government Referendums Order 2004

Rejection of invalid security statement for defacement of ballot number

44.—(1) Where the covering envelope contains a security statement which is invalid because the ballot number is so defaced that the ballot number is not capable of being successfully scanned electronically, the counting officer shall—

(a) mark the security statement “rejected”;

(b) open the ballot paper envelope (if any);

(c) attach the covering envelope and any ballot paper envelope to the security statement and, place them in the receptacle for rejected votes;

(d) mark any ballot paper as “provisionally rejected” and place it in the receptacle for rejected votes.