14Counting of votes

14 Counting of votes

14 Counting of votes

After the date and time by which a completed voting paper must reach the Returning Officer in a contested election, the Returning Officer must:

(a) open the envelopes addressed to the Returning Officer and received by the Returning Officer before that date and time, and

(b) if the declaration form is signed by a qualified voter, place the envelope marked “voting paper” with other such envelopes, and

(c) if the envelope does not contain an envelope marked “voting paper” or a declaration form completed in accordance with paragraph (b), place the envelope in a receptacle for rejected papers for forwarding to the Board in accordance with clause 19 after the declaration of the poll, and

(d) following the opening of all the envelopes addressed to the Returning Officer, open the envelopes marked “voting paper” and remove the voting papers, and

(e) reject such voting papers as are informal by placing them in a receptacle for rejected papers for forwarding to the Board in accordance with clause 19 after the declaration of the poll, and

(f) count the number of votes given to each candidate.