Div 5Records in connexion with Absent Votes.

Division 5.—Records in connexion with Absent Votes.

Record of absent voters.

55. The Presiding Officer shall make a record of the name of each elector who has voted at his polling booth as an absent voter at an election or referendum, together with the names of the Division and Subdivision for which the elector declares that he is enrolled as indicated on the form of declaration, and, at the close of the poll, shall forward the record, duly certified, under seal, to the Assistant Returning Officer.

Absent voters’ ballot-papers—action by Assistant Returning Officer.

56. The Assistant Returning Officer, on receipt from a Presiding Officer of a ballot-box containing absent voters’ ballot-papers enclosed in the envelopes bearing the electors’ declarations, will take the following action in respect of all such envelopes:—

(a) check the number of such envelopes with the number appearing in the Presiding Officer’s record, preserve a note thereof, and report any discrepancy to his Divisional Returning Officer;

(b) place in a separate outer envelope (or parcel) all the envelopes relating to the same Division, endorse on the outer envelope (or parcel) the number of such envelopes so placed therein, fasten and seal the outer envelope (or parcel), address it to the Divisional Returning Officer for the Division named in the electors’ declarations, and forthwith transmit it by registered post to that Divisional Returning Officer;

(c) immediately advise, by telegraph or by such other expeditious means as may be directed, each Divisional Returning Officer concerned of the total number of envelopes, bearing absent voters’ declarations, so forwarded to him.

Custody of absent voters’ ballot-papers.

57. The Divisional Returning Officer shall preserve in his custody—

(a) a book, in which he shall record from time to time the number of envelopes bearing absent voters’ declarations received by him from each Assistant Returning Officer;

(b) a locked and sealed ballot-box, marked “Absent Voters’ Ballot-box,” in which he shall forthwith place all envelopes bearing absent voters’ declarations received by him from Assistant Returning Officers.