Representation of the People Act 1983

Attendance at counting of votes U.K.

44 (1) The returning officer shall make arrangements for counting the votes in the presence of the counting agents as soon as practicable after the close of the poll, and shall give to the counting agents notice in writing of the time and place at which he will begin to count the votes. U.K.

(2) No person other than—

(a) the returning officer and his clerks,

(b) the candidates and [F1 one other person chosen by each of them],

(c) the election agents,

(d) the counting agents,

[F2 (e) persons who are entitled to attend by virtue of any of sections 6A to 6D of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.]

may be present at the counting of the votes, unless permitted by the returning officer to attend.

(3) A person not entitled to attend at the counting of the votes shall not be permitted to do so by the returning officer unless he—

(a) is satisfied that the efficient counting of the votes will not be impeded; and

(b) has either consulted the election agents or thought it impracticable to do so.

(4) The returning officer shall give the counting agents all such reasonable facilities for overseeing the proceedings, and all such information with respect to them, as he can give them consistently with the orderly conduct of the proceedings and the discharge of his duties in connection with them.

(5) In particular, where the votes are counted by sorting the ballot papers according to the candidate for whom the vote is given and then counting the number of ballot papers for each candidate, the counting agents shall be entitled to satisfy themselves that the ballot papers are correctly sorted.

[F3 (6) In making arrangements under this rule, the returning officer shall have regard to the duty imposed on him by rule 45(3A) below.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in Sch. 1 rule 44(2)(b) substituted (31.1.2007 for E.W.S. and 1.7.2008 for N.I.) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 47, 77, Sch. 1 para. 85(2); S.I. 2006/3412, art. 5; S.I. 2008/1316, arts. 2, 4

F2 Sch. 1 rule 44(2)(e) inserted (31.1.2007 for E.W.S. and 1.7.2008 for N.I.) by Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c. 22), ss. 47, 77, Sch. 1 para. 85(3); S.I. 2006/3412, art. 5; S.I. 2008/1316, arts. 2, 4

F3 Sch. 1 rule 44(6) inserted (8.4.2010) by Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 (c. 25), ss. 48(2), 52

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 Sch. 1 rules 43, 44 applied with modifications (N.I.) by S.I. 1986/2250, regs. 2, 3, 5, Sch. 1 Pt. I

C2 Sch. 1 rules 43, 44 applied with modifications (E.W.S.) by S.I. 1986/2209, regs. 2, 3, 5(1)(6)–(8), Sch. 1 Pt. I

C3 Sch. 1 rule 44 applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (4.5.1996) by S.I. 1996/1220, art. 3(1)(5)-(8), Sch. 1

Sch. 1 rule 44 applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (25.4.1998) by S.I. 1998/1126, art. 6, Sch. 2

C4 Sch. 1 rule 44 applied (with modifications) (1.8.2001) by The Northern Ireland Assembly (Elections) Order 2001 (S.I. 2001/2599), art. 3, Sch. 1 (as substituted (10.2.2009) by S.I. 2009/256, arts. 1(2), 3, Sch. 1; modified (16.2.2011) by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 (c. 1), s. 19(1), Sch. 8 para. 35); and amended (26.3.2024) by S.I. 2024/319, regs. 1(2), 12 (with reg. 1(3)))

C5 Sch. 1 rule 44(5) applied (with modifications) (N.I.) (4.5.1996) by S.I. 1996/1220, art. 3(1)(b)(6)(d)(7)