Receipt pf Postal Ballot Papers

Procedure in relation to declarations of identityI185

F31

This regulation applies to any postal voting statement  contained in an envelope that has not been set aside for personal identifier verification in accordance with regulation 84(1A) or (5).

1A

The returning officer must satisfy himself that the postal voting statement is duly completed.

2

Where the returning officer is not so satisfied, he shall mark the F4statement “rejected”, attach to it the ballot paper envelope, or if there is no such envelope, the ballot paper (or ballot papers), and, subject to paragraph (3) below, place it in the receptacle for rejected votes.

3

Before placing the declaration in the receptacle for rejected votes, the returning officer shall show it to the agents and, if any of them object to his decision, he shall add the words “rejection objected to”.

4

The returning officer shall then examine the number (or numbers) on the F2postal voting statement against the number (or numbers) on the ballot paper envelope and, where they are the same, he shall place the F5statement and the ballot paper envelope respectively in the receptacle for declarations of identity and the receptacle for ballot paper envelopes.

F15

Where—

a

the number (or numbers) on a valid F2postal voting statement is not the same as the number (or numbers) on the ballot paper envelope, or

b

that envelope has no number on it (or only one number when the F2postal voting statement has more than one),

the returning officer shall open the envelope.

6

Paragraph (7) below applies where—

a

there is a valid F2“postal voting statement but no ballot paper envelope; or

b

the ballot paper envelope has been opened under regulation 84(3) or paragraph (5) above.

7

In the circumstances described in paragraph (6) above, the returning officer shall place—

a

in the postal ballot box, any ballot paper the number on which is the same as the number (or one of the numbers) on the valid F2postal voting statement;

b

in the receptacle for rejected votes, any other ballot paper, with the valid F2postal voting statement attached and marked “provisionally rejected”;

c

in the receptacle for rejected votes, any valid F2postal voting statement marked “provisionally rejected” where—

i

there is no ballot paper, or

ii

in the case of a F6statement on which the number of more than one ballot paper appears, there is not a sufficient number of ballot papers and, in such a case, shall mark the F6statement to indicate which ballot paper is missing;

d

in the receptacle for declarations of identity, any valid F6statement not disposed of under sub-paragraph (b) or (c) above.