81Marking of votes

81 Marking of votes

(1) Subject to subrule (2), a voter must mark his or her vote on the ballot‑paper by placing the number 1 in the square opposite the name of the candidate for whom he or she votes as his or her first preference, and may place the numbers 2, 3, 4 (and so on, as the case requires) in the squares opposite the names of some or all of the remaining candidates so as to indicate the order of his or her preference for them.

(2) Where a candidate dies between the date of nomination and polling day, and more than 1 candidate remains, a ballot‑paper is not informal only because:

(a) the ballot‑paper includes the name of the deceased candidate; or

(b) a consecutive number is marked opposite that name; or

(c) a number has not been placed opposite that name or of any resulting failure to indicate in consecutive order the voter’s preferences.