C1C6C7PART VISSUE AND RECEIPT OF POSTAL BALLOT PAPERS
Pt. 5 excluded (E.) (22.9.2020) by The Postponed Elections and Referendums (Coronavirus) and Policy Development Grants (Amendment) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/926), regs. 1(2), 4(2)(b)
Pt. 5 excluded (W.) (4.12.2020) by The Local Government (Coronavirus) (Postponement of Elections) (Wales) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 (S.I. 2020/1399), regs. 2, 5(1)(2)
Receipt of Postal Ballot Papers
Opening of covering envelopesI1C2C3C4C584
F11
When a postal voters’ ballot box is opened, the returning officer shall count and record the number of covering envelopes (including any envelope which is stated to include a postal vote and any envelope described in regulation 82(2)(above).
F41A
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1B
He shall open separately each covering envelope (including an envelope described in regulation 82(2) above).
F62
The procedure in regulation 85A applies where a covering envelope (including an envelope to which regulation 82(2) above applies) contains a postal voting statement.
3
F74
Where a covering envelope does not contain a postal voting statement (whether separately or not), the returning officer shall mark the covering envelope “provisionally rejected”, attach its contents (if any) and place it in the receptacle for rejected votes.
6
In carrying out the procedures in this regulation and regulations 85 to 88, the returning officer—
a
shall keep the ballot papers face downwards and shall take proper precautions for preventing any person from seeing the votes made on the ballot papers; and
b
shall not be permitted to view the corresponding number list used at the issue of postal ballot papers.
7
Where an envelope opened in accordance with paragraph (1B) contains a postal voting statement, the returning officer shall place a mark in the marked copy of the postal voters list or proxy postal voters list in a place corresponding to the number of the elector to denote that a postal vote has been returned.
8
A mark made under paragraph (7) shall be distinguishable from and shall not obscure the mark made under regulation 72(3).
9
As soon as practicable after the last covering envelope has been opened, the returning officer shall make up into a packet the copy of the marked postal voters list and proxy postal voters list that have been marked in accordance with paragraph (7) and shall seal such a packet.
Pt. 5 applied (with modifications) (16.2.2011) by Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 (c. 1), s. 19(2), Sch. 5 para. 53