37.—(1) The presiding officer must exclude all persons from the polling station except—
(a)voters allotted to the polling station,
(b)persons under the age of 16 who accompany voters to the polling station,
(c)the candidates and their election agents (if appointed),
(d)the polling agents appointed to attend at the polling station,
(e)the clerks appointed to attend at the polling station,
(f)the returning officer or members of the returning officer’s staff,
(g)persons who are entitled to attend by virtue of any of sections 6A to 6D of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 (representatives of the Electoral Commission and accredited observers),
(h)the constables on duty,
(i)the companions of voters with disabilities, and
(j)persons entitled to be present at the polling station for the purposes of a relevant election.
(2) The presiding officer must regulate the total number of voters and persons under the age of 16 who accompany them who are admitted to the polling station at the same time.
(3) Only one polling agent may be admitted at the same time to a polling station on behalf of the same candidate.
(4) A constable voting in person may do so either—
(a)at the polling station allotted under these rules, or
(b)at another polling station, if the constable produces and surrenders a certificate in the form in Appendix 7 or a form to the like effect, signed by an officer of police of or above the rank of inspector.
(5) A person employed by the returning officer, if voting in person, may do so either—
(a)at the polling station allotted under these rules, or
(b)at another polling station, if the person produces and surrenders a certificate in the form in Appendix 7 or a form to the like effect, signed by the returning officer.
(6) A single certificate may be used for the community election and each relevant election.
(7) A certificate surrendered under paragraph (4) or (5) must immediately be cancelled.
(8) In this rule, a reference to a constable includes a reference to a person designated as a community support officer or community support volunteer under section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002 (police powers for civilian staff and volunteers).
(9) Where the returning officer is not the co-ordinating returning officer, see also regulations 4 and 5 of the Combination of Polls Regulations (which provide for circumstances in which the function of signing a certificate for the purpose of paragraph (5) of this rule is to be discharged by the co-ordinating returning officer).
Commencement Information
I1Sch. 2 rule 37 in force at 17.12.2021, see rule 1