Sch 1 s 26Initial scrutiny—prepaid envelopes

Sch 1 s 26 Initial scrutiny—prepaid envelopes

26 Initial scrutiny—prepaid envelopes

(1) At the close of the ballot for an election, the returning officer must, in the presence of the scrutineers who are present—

(a) examine the contents of the prepaid envelopes and reject as informal envelopes that, in the returning officer’s opinion, do not comply with the requirements of this schedule, and

(b) initial the backs of the remaining ballot papers, and

(c) count the remaining ballot papers.

(2) A ballot paper is informal if—

(a) the voter has failed to record a vote in the way directed on the ballot paper, or

(b) the back of the ballot paper has not been initialled by the returning officer.

(3) Despite subsection (2), if, in the returning officer’s opinion, the voter’s intention is clearly indicated on a ballot paper, the ballot paper is not informal merely because—

(a) the ballot paper contains an unnecessary mark, or

(b) the number of candidates for whom the voter has recorded a vote is fewer than the number to be elected in the election.