SCHEDULE 2Absent voting in PCC elections
PART 1Manner of voting at PCC election and entitlement to absent vote
Manner of voting at PCC elections
1.
(1)
This paragraph applies to determine the manner of voting of a person (“P”) entitled to vote as an elector at a PCC election.
(2)
P may vote in person at the polling station to which he or she is allotted under the PCC elections rules, unless P is entitled as an elector to vote by post or by proxy at the PCC election.
(3)
P may vote by post if P is entitled as an elector to vote by post at the PCC election.
(4)
If P is entitled to vote by proxy at the PCC election, P may so vote unless, before a ballot paper has been issued for P to vote by proxy, P applies at the polling station to which he or she is allotted under the PCC elections rules for a ballot paper for the purpose of voting in person, in which case P may vote in person there.
(5)
If—
(a)
P is not entitled to vote by post or by proxy at a PCC election, but
(b)
P cannot reasonably be expected to go in person to the polling station to which P is allotted under the PCC elections rules by reason of the particular circumstances of P's employment, either as a constable or by a local returning officer, on the date of the poll for a purpose connected with the PCC election,
P may vote in person at any polling station in the same voting area as the allotted polling station.
F1(5A)
In sub-paragraph (5), a reference to a constable includes a person designated as a community support officer under section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002 (police powers for civilian staff).
(6)
Nothing in the preceding provisions of this paragraph applies to a person to whom section 7 of the 1983 Act (mental patients who are not detained offenders) applies and who is liable, by virtue of any enactment, to be detained in the mental hospital in question, whether the person is registered by virtue of that provision or not; and such a person may vote—
(a)
in person (where the person is granted permission to be absent from the hospital and voting in person does not breach any condition attached to that permission), or
(b)
by post or by proxy (where the person is entitled to vote by post or, as the case may be, by proxy in the PCC election).
(7)
Nothing in the preceding provisions of this paragraph applies to a person to whom section 7A of the 1983 Act (persons remanded in custody) applies, whether the person is registered by virtue of that provision or not; and such a person may vote only by post or by proxy (where the person is entitled to vote by post or, as the case may be, by proxy in the PCC election).
(8)
Sub-paragraph (2) does not prevent a person, at the polling station to which he or she is allotted, marking a tendered ballot paper in pursuance of rule 40 of the PCC elections rules (votes marked by presiding officer).