The National Assembly for Wales (Representation of the People) Order 1999

Spoilt postal ballot paper

14.—(1) If a postal voter has inadvertently dealt with a postal ballot paper of his in such manner that it cannot be conveniently used as a ballot paper (referred to as ‘a spoilt postal ballot paper’) he may return (either by hand or by post) to the constituency returning officer the spoilt postal ballot paper, the declaration of identity, the ballot paper envelope and the covering envelope.

(2) Where postal ballot papers for more than one election have been issued together at an ordinary election or under paragraph 2, the postal voter shall, if he exercises the entitlement conferred by sub-paragraph (1), return all of the ballot papers so issued, whether spoilt or not.

(3) On receipt of the documents referred to in sub-paragraphs (1) and, where applicable, (2) the constituency returning officer shall issue another postal ballot paper or, as the case may be, ballot papers except where those documents are received too late for another ballot paper (or ballot papers) to be returned before the close of the poll.

(4) Paragraphs 5(1)(a) and (b), 6 and 8 to 13, except any reference to the presence of the agents, shall apply to the issue of postal ballot papers under sub-paragraph (3).

(5) The spoilt postal ballot paper, and any other postal ballot paper issued with it in the case of an ordinary election or under paragraph 2, the declaration of identity and the ballot paper envelope, shall be immediately cancelled.

(6) The constituency returning officer, as soon as practicable after cancelling those documents, shall make up those documents in a separate packet and shall seal the packet; and if on any subsequent occasion documents are cancelled as mentioned above, the sealed packet shall be opened and the additional cancelled documents included in it and the packet shall then be again made up and sealed.