All-postal voting

5.—(1) The votes at the poll at every referendum shall be given by ballot.

(2) The means by which a person entitled to vote either in person or by proxy may deliver a ballot paper and security statement(1) are—

(a) by post; or

(b) by hand to—

(i) the counting officer,

(ii) an assistance and delivery point(2), or

(iii) a contingency delivery point(3), if such delivery points are provided.

(3) The references in this Order, and any reference in the 2000 Act, the RP Act 2000, the 1983 Act or the Elections Regulations—

(a) to polling day, the day or date of the poll or the date fixed for the poll, shall have effect, in respect of a referendum, as a reference to the date of the referendum;

(b) to the close of the poll, shall have effect, in respect of a referendum, as a reference to 10 p.m. on the date of the referendum; and

(c) to the commencement of the poll, shall have effect, in respect of a referendum, as a reference to the first despatch of the ballot papers at that referendum.

(4) In this Order and in any enactment modified by this Order, references to voting by post, in whatever terms, shall be deemed to include voting by delivering a ballot paper by hand to the counting officer or to any place provided by the counting officer for the purpose of the delivery of ballot papers by hand.

(1)

See rule 10(1) and Form 4 of the Regional Assembly and Local Government Referendum Rules.

(2)

See rule 21(1) of the Regional Assembly and Local Government Referendum Rules.

(3)

See rule 30(1) of the Regional Assembly and Local Government Referendum Rules.