28.—(1) A ballot paper must be delivered to a voter or proxy who applies for one, and immediately before delivery—
(a)the number and (unless paragraph (2) applies) name of the voter as stated in the copy of the register of electors must be called out;
(b)the number of the voter as stated in the register must be marked on the list mentioned in rule 17(4)(d) beside the number of the ballot paper to be issued to him or her;
(c)a mark must be placed in the copy of the register of electors against the number of the voter to note that a ballot paper has been received but without showing the particular ballot paper which has been received; and
(d)in the case of a person applying for a ballot paper as proxy, a mark must also be placed against his or her name in the list of proxies.
(2) In the case of a voter who has an anonymous entry, that person must show the presiding officer his or her official poll card and only his or her number shall be called out in pursuance of paragraph (1)(a).
(3) In the case of a voter or proxy who is added to the register in pursuance of a notice issued under section 13B(3B) or (3D) of the 1983 Act F1, paragraph (1) is modified as follows—
(a)in sub-paragraph (a), for “copy of the register of electors” substitute “ copy of the notice issued under section 13B(3B) or (3D) of the 1983 Act ”;
(b)in sub-paragraph (b), for “in the register” substitute “ on the copy of the notice issued under section 13B(3B) or (3D) of the 1983 Act ”;
(c)in sub-paragraph (c), for “in the copy of the register of electors” substitute “ on the copy of the notice issued under section 13B(3B) or (3D) of the 1983 Act ”.
(4) The voter or proxy, on receiving the ballot paper, must forthwith proceed into one of the compartments in the polling station and there secretly mark his or her paper and fold it up so as to conceal his or her vote, and must then show to the presiding officer the back of the paper, so as to disclose the number and other unique identifying mark, and put the ballot paper so folded up into the ballot box in the presiding officer's presence.
(5) The voter or proxy must vote without undue delay, and must leave the polling station as soon as he or she has put his or her ballot paper into the ballot box.
(6) The same copy of the register of electors which is used under paragraph (1) for the referendum or, where paragraph (3) applies, the same copy of the notice issued under section 13B(3B) or (3D) of the 1983 Act, may be used for each relevant election or referendum, and—
(a)one mark may be placed in that copy of the register or on that notice under paragraph (1)(c) or in the list of proxies under paragraph (1)(d) to denote that a ballot paper has been issued in respect of each election or referendum; but
(b)where a ballot paper has not been issued in respect of a relevant election or referendum, a different mark must be placed in the copy of that register or, as the case may be, on that notice or in that list so as to identify each election or referendum in respect of which a ballot paper was issued.
Textual Amendments
F1Section 13B of the 1983 Act was inserted by paragraph 3 of Schedule 2 to the Representation of the People Act 2000 (c.2) and amended by section 11(3) of the Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c.22). Subsections (3B) and (3D) of section 13B were inserted by section 11(4) of the Electoral Administration Act 2006 (c.22).