The Regional Assembly and Local Government Referendums Order 2004

Equipment of assistance and delivery points

24.—(1) The counting officer shall provide sufficient ballot boxes (delivery point ballot boxes) at every assistance and delivery point to receive the ballot papers and security statements delivered there.

(2) Where there are combined polls, the same delivery point ballot box shall be used at an assistance and delivery point for the receipt of ballot papers and security statements at those referendums.

(3) Every delivery point ballot box shall be so constructed that the ballot papers and security statements can be put in it, but cannot be withdrawn from it, without the box being unlocked or, where the box has no lock, the seal being broken.

(4) On each day that an assistance and delivery point is open, each delivery point ballot box to be used there that day shall, before that delivery point is opened, be shown empty by the presiding officer to at least one other person, and shall be locked, where the box has a lock, and sealed by the presiding officer in the presence of that person.

(5) It shall be the duty of a presiding officer to—

(a) ensure each delivery point ballot box used for the receipt of ballot papers and security statements is placed in the presiding officer’s view; and

(b) ensure the security of the delivery point ballot boxes at his assistance and delivery point.

(6) The counting officer shall provide each assistance and delivery point with—

(a) such number of compartments as may be necessary to enable voters who wish to mark their votes on their ballot papers in that place to do so screened from observation;

(b) materials to enable voters to mark the ballot papers;

(c) at least one large version of the ballot paper for the referendum, which shall be printed on paper of the same colour as the ballot paper and displayed inside the assistance and delivery point for the assistance of voters who are partially sighted;

(d) a device that meets the description set out in paragraph (7) for enabling voters who are blind or partially sighted to vote without any need for assistance from the presiding officer or any companion (within the meaning of rule 28 (votes marked by companion)); and

(e) in the case of a local government referendum, any information provided by the Electoral Commission pursuant to section 9(6) of the Preparations Act relating to the options presented to voters in the local government referendum, which material shall be conspicuously displayed.

(7) The tactile voting device referred to in paragraph (6)(d) must—

(a) allow a ballot paper to be inserted into and removed from, or attached to and detached from, the device, easily and without damage to the paper;

(b) keep the ballot paper firmly in place during use; and

(c) provide suitable means for the voter to—

(i) identify the spaces on the ballot paper on which he may mark his vote;

(ii) identify the answer to which each such space refers; and

(iii) mark his vote on the space he has chosen.

(8) A notice in the form set out in Form 6 in the Appendix, giving directions for the guidance of voters in voting, shall be printed in conspicuous characters and exhibited inside and outside every assistance and delivery point.

(9) In every compartment of every assistance and delivery point there shall be exhibited the following notice, adapted so far as circumstances require—

• “[Insert name of referendum in accordance with a direction given by the Chief Counting Officer]

• (Mark one box on each ballot paper only.) (Mark one box only in answer to each question.) Put no other marks on (the ballot paper)(each ballot paper) or your vote(s) may not be counted.”.

(10) Any notice or other document that is required to be exhibited or displayed pursuant to this rule may also be exhibited or displayed in Braille or translated into such other languages as the counting officer may think fit, provided that those notices or documents are accurate reproductions in Braille or that other language of that notice or document.